Using ear buds safely – with a few unusual tips

Ear buds are a fantastically useful tool – but most people are using them wrong and risking all sorts of damage.

They were never intended to be stuck down into the inner ear and the packaging always warns against it – but so many of us do exactly that. It can actually make ear wax problems worse, by impacting it and causing more of a blockage. And in extreme cases it can even perforate the eardrum.

If you do have a problem with ear wax see your GP or a professional who can use safe methods, such as washing with a special solution.

Here are a few excellent – and safe – uses for your ear buds

• Using ear buds to clean the outer ear is fine! Just don’t go into the inner ear and sweep outwards away from the inner ear.
• Ear buds are a fantastic tool for applying or removing makeup. Smaller, more maneuverable and more accurate than larger cotton wool pads or balls.
• For baby they can be used in small areas such as between fingers and toes, behind ears and so on.
• In first aid an ear bud can be used to gently clean small cuts or grazes and apply washes or ointment.
• On your pets an ear bud can help clean all those tricky to reach places and apply creams.
• Even in DIY – ear buds are small enough to get into difficult cracks to clean, dab oil, dipped in stain remover, and all sorts of clever uses.

Ear buds are so flexible and multi functional that it’s always worth having some on hand. Just don’t stick them right in your ear!

Our soft cotton ear buds have environmentally friendly paper sticks. And they come in a fantastic value pack of 2000. So you don’t need to worry about stocking up and always have some around.