How to Clean Baby Ears

Nothing can be more daunting for a mother than having to deal with those delicate parts of her little one. Understanding your limits and finding the right approach to look after your baby in a way that you find comfortable, is very important. Cleaning the ears of your young ones is something that must never be taken lightly. An old medical saying goes, “Never put anything on your ears smaller than your elbow” and that applies to your child as well. You should use extreme caution while dealing with this aspect of baby care. Most often, ears are neglected and less cared for in regard to other body organs. It is important to realize that ears, like all other body parts, go through same hygienic complications, and extra care must be employed when addressing these problems. Cleaning a baby’s ears involves a multi-step process. Here are some pointers on how to clean baby ears.
Cleaning Your Baby’s Ears

• Wash your child with tepid water. You can use a delicate cloth to sponge his body. To clean the ears, hold your child securely by balancing it on your hand.
• Use a wet cloth to wipe the ears. Do not use soap. You can use the cloth to gently scrub the ears, reaching out for the gap behind the ears, which is one common place for wax buildup.
• Damp the cloth again and use it gently to wipe the outer parts of the ears as some babies tend to have buildup in the outer areas as well. The external air contains small folds which can trap dirt. Gently wipe those folds to get rid of excess dirt.
• Now, twirl the tip of the wet cloth. Squeeze out the extra water, if any. Gently tuck it in the baby’s ear and roll it gently. This would remove any debris from the outer ear canals.
• Pat the baby’s ear with a clean dry cloth.
• In case you wish to clean the inner ear of your baby, it is advisable for you to take your baby to the doctor and get it cleaned. Doctor’s use special instrumentation to clean your baby’s ears that avoids the risk of puncturing or scratching your baby’s delicate eardrums.
• While cleaning the ears, don’t forget to keep your child warm. Drape him/her in a hand towel to prevent him/her from catching cold.
• Some babies have more wax buildup than others. If the problem persists, don’t forget to consult your pediatrician.
• Do not use cotton swabs to clean your baby’s ear. Instead of cleaning the wax, they push the debris inside which can cause major harm to their soft eardrums.
• Avoid using ear cleaning kit on babies. If there is excessive wax in their ears, get them cleaned only by a pediatrician.