How to Take Proper Care of Your Ears

Understanding proper ear care will go a long way in both protecting your hearing and the effectiveness of your hearing aids.

Believe it or not, your ears are self-cleaning. That means you don’t actually need to clean them. Cotton swabs and ear candles can actually damage your ear drum, which can lead to conductive hearing loss. If you are experiencing excessive wax buildup, it is important to see your healthcare professional.

If you experience any loss of hearing, our expert Audiologists / Hearing care professionals have the knowledge and experience to answer any questions you may have about hearing protection as well as being able to give you a full comprehensive hearing test. This will leave you with the knowledge and understanding of the health of your ears and the best way to protect them.

Discover and explore our range of ear protection devices including noise-cancelling earplugs, ear defenders and headphones that can help protect your hearing in a wide range of environments.

• Never poke anything into your ears. The lining of the ear is delicate and you can easily damage it
• Don't use cotton buds to clean your ears. They can irritate the ear canal and push wax back inside, making it more difficult to remove
• To keep ears clean, wash the visible part of the ear and behind the ear using a little soap. Then wipe the soap away with rinsed fingers and dry with a thin towel
• Don't immerse your ears in bath water, as body bacteria may enter your ear canal and could cause an infection
• Try a drop of olive oil in each ear once a week to soften earwax and encourage it to move out of the ear naturally
• Use earplugs to protect your ears from dust and loud noise
• Don't ignore ear problems; they won't improve without the right treatment. The longer you leave an ear problem, the longer it may take to treat.
• If you think your hearing may be affected by noise at work, the best place to start is by talking to your employer (who has a legal duty under European Union regulation) to assess and control the risks. As a general guide, you shouldn't have to work without ear protection, with noise levels at work that are louder than a busy street.