The rule is to never stick anything smaller than your pinkie finger into your ear.
However, many people think Q-tips can help keep their ears clean, especially if it hasn't caused them any problems so far. But, Q-tips could actually be making things worse.
In a Business Insider video, NYU otologist Erich Voigt explains how not to clean your ears, as well as the proper way to clean the wax out.
Voigt starts off by pointing out: 'The simple answer is you shouldn't put Q-tips into your ears. I believe there's a warning on the box that says do not insert it into your ears.'
Advert
When you insert a Q-tip into your ear hole, you're actually pushing the wax further into the ear canal. The ear canal is an inch long and can easily build up with wax if you start pushing objects in there.
Voigt described in the YouTube video: 'The normal flow of the wax, which is supposed to be from inside out and flow up by itself actually can't flow out anymore.
'So it starts building up on itself and rolling up on itself and becomes denser and denser. It doesn't have a shut-off valve.'
Advert
The medical expert explained that he's been in certain situations where he's had to pull a 'small, brown crayon amount of wax' out of a patient's ear. Yuck!
Voigt advised that the best way to clean your ears is to wash the outside of them with soap and water when you go for a shower.
Then, 'wrap part of the towel around your finger to mop out the water and any wax that might be on the outside. And don't put anything on the inside,' the otologist explained.
Advert
If you do experience a build-up of wax in your ear, Voigt urged viewers not to try to get rid of it with home remedies. Instead, you should seek professional medical advice for a solution.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology notes that sticking Q-tips or other objects in your ear 'may cause a cut in your ear canal, poke a hole in your ear drum, or hurt the hearing bones, leading to hearing loss, dizziness, ringing, and other symptoms of ear injury.'
Best to avoid Q-tips if you want to prevent any potential ear problems in the future.