How you clean your ears after a dive

[emoreira]

Hi all, I don't know if this is the proper section to ask this, but I want to have feedback on how you fellow divers clean your ears after a dive. Also I don't know if this has already been discussed, but I could not find any thread with this.

I've been using boricated alcohol (saturated). A few drops inside each ear and leaving it to flush water out.
I've read that boricated alcohol is not the best solution, because the boric acid forms lumps when the alcohol has evaporated.
There are several recommendations in other forums to replace boricated alcohol with a mixture of alcohol + alcohol vinegar (10 drops of alcohol vinegar in 10 cubic centimeters of alcohol), though the vinegar smell is not nice.
The idea behind this is to form an acid environment inside the external ear cavity that avoids the grow of germs and bacteria and a further ear infection. Also the alcohol produces a rapid dry of the water inside the external ear cavity.

What do you use for this ?

 

[kjvander]

I just use simple ear clear/swim ear/etc. from either a dive shop or a sports store...same stuff that swimmers use. it is just a normal alcohol solution. there are some people that make their own but for the couple of bucks that it costs for a bottle of premade stuff....i'm lazy so i'll go the easy way..

 

[JBRES1]

Hi,
I use a mix of alcohol, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide.(Ear Beer) I mix up equal parts of each in a small bottle. I put about 5 drops in each ear and let it sit for about 30 seconds before dumping it out.

This stuff works well for me.
Jim Breslin

 

[Dr Wu]

I do a fresh water dive set on "delicate" to flush my earholes.

 

[Texasdivechick]

+1 for ear beer. Where I dive it's almost essential to thoroughly cleanse one's ears post-dive or risk infection due to the bacteria in the water. You can make your own using the solution above or go to any grocery/drug store and pick up Swim Ear. I used the prepackaged Swim Ear once and when it ran out, I refill it with my own concoction.
My ears are sensitive to pressure changes so I even squirt a few drops during surface intervals which seems to help with equalization. Not sure why but it's just something I've observed over the years. Then again, maybe it's psychosomatic. :headscratch:

 

[SandyRobinson]

A few drops of 1\2 white vinegar and 1\2 distilled water.

 

[Scubagolf]

After missing the last two dive days in June (Cozumel) because of an outer ear infection, I did the research. You can get a prescription for very effective stuff, or mix up your own "ear salad dressing." I use a freshly brewed concoction of one-third distilled water, one-third white vinegar and one-third isopropyl alcohol. The white vinegar apparently alters the pH in the ear to combat outer ear infections. It's inexpensive, so keep it fresh by making a new batch at least monthly. To use, fill a medicine dropper with the solution, tilt the head to one side, add two to three drops to each ear. Then allow the medication to sit for a full five minutes before lifting the head upright. Then do the other side. You will think you smell like salad dressing because of the white vinegar, but nobody else will care and the aroma dissipates quickly. At the end of the dive day after showering I use the standard ear dry stuff.

 

[TMHeimer]

A Q-Tip.

 

[Crush]

I am prone to ear infections. My physician suggested the following treatment for "swimmer's ear" which has worked like a charm - after each day of diving, fill each ear all the way (one at a time) with a mix of 1/3 rubbing alcohol, 1/3 vinegar, and 1/3 water. Let sit for three minutes or so, then let it drain (but no rinsing). Repeat on the other ear. It has worked like a charm. Even if I feel my ear getting sore, a day of this treatment usually gets it sorted right out.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

A Q-Tip.

Have you ever read the warning on the package?

My question to the OP is why are you worrying about cleaning your ears? Are you having medical problems? Use of any of these remedies should only be done for a reason and IMHO preventative treatment is way abused. Your immune system is designed to keep your body healthy; if you don't let it do it's job it gets weak from lack of use.