Ear cleaning: How to clean your child's ears

Your ears are divided into three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear includes the pinna (the part of the ear we can see) and the ear canal. The eardrum separates the ear canal from the midle ear. Together, these capture sounds and channel them into the middle ear.

The ear canal contains glands that produce earwax (cerumen). It is normal to have a lining of earwax in the ear canal, as the wax protects the middle ear from everyday dust and dirt.

Ear anatomy

How to do routine ear cleaning

Your child’s outer ears can be cleaned regularly to remove any dirt. The safest way to do this is to use a soft washcloth.

Remember, “nothing smaller than your elbow” should be put in your child’s ear. Items such as cotton swabs or hair pins should not be put in the ear canal. Using these items in the ear canal will pack the wax in further or cause damage to the ear canal.

Ear candling and peroxide cleaners are not recommended for cleaning your child’s ears. Ear candling has no clear benefit and can be risky.

How to remove hardened earwax

If you think your child has a build-up of hardened earwax, you can soften it with two to four drops of olive oil or mineral oil.

1. Warm up some oil to skin temperature by holding it in a small container in your hands.
2. Use a dropper to apply the oil to the affected ear.
3. Have your child lie down with the affected ear facing up and leave the oil in the ear for a few minutes.
4. When your child sits up, the wax should work its way out.
   

If the wax does not work its way out, your doctor may be able to remove it with a special instrument called a curet or with a warm water flush.

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if:

• you notice any blood, oozing or pus coming from the ear
  
• your child has ear pain or experiences any change in their hearing
• you see anything stuck in your child's ear