How-to guide
How to Do Alcohol and Vinegar Ear Flushes
Quick answer: An alcohol and vinegar flush dries the ear canal and makes it more acidic, so bacteria and fungi have a harder time growing. We recommend it mainly to help prevent swimmer's ear in people who get ear canal infections often. For an active infection, prescription ear drops are the main treatment, and flushes are used only alongside or after them if we told you to. Use it only if we recommended it, and never if you have ear tubes, a hole in your eardrum, or have had ear surgery. Mix equal parts rubbing alcohol and white vinegar, gently flush the ear over the sink with a bulb syringe, then dry it with a hair dryer on low. For prevention, flush about once a week.
What does an ear flush do?
The rubbing alcohol dries the skin of the ear canal and kills bacteria and fungi. The vinegar makes the canal more acidic, which bacteria and fungi do not like. Together they help keep ear canal infections (otitis externa, or swimmer’s ear) from coming back.
For an active infection, prescription ear drops are the main treatment and work better than acidifying drops alone. If we recommend flushes during an infection, use them alongside or after your prescribed drops, the way we told you.
Ear flushes are not for earwax: for wax, use softening drops instead.
What do I need?
- A bulb syringe (ear syringe), sold at most pharmacies.
- 70% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol).
- White vinegar.
- A clean container with a lid, for mixing and storing the solution.
- A towel and a hair dryer.
Do Not Use Ear Flushes If You Have
- Ear tubes
- A hole (perforation) in your eardrum
- Had ear surgery
Not sure? Ask us before you start. If you have diabetes or a weakened immune system, also check with us first: ear canal infections can be more serious for you.
How do I do it?
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Mix the solution
Mix equal parts rubbing alcohol and white vinegar in the clean container. Keep it on the counter so it stays at room temperature, with the lid on.
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Get set up at the sink
Put a towel over your shoulder and lean over the sink with the ear you are treating facing up and slightly toward the sink.
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Flush the ear
Fill the bulb syringe, place the tip just at the opening of the ear canal (not deep inside), and gently squirt the solution in, letting it fill the canal. Let it run out into the sink. Repeat 2 or 3 times. Do not squirt hard: the skin of the ear canal is delicate, especially when it is inflamed.
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Let it drain
Tilt your head so the treated ear faces down and let the rest drain out.
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Dry the ear
Once the ear has drained and is no longer dripping, dry the ear canal with a hair dryer on the lowest heat setting, held about 12 inches (an arm’s length) away, for 30 to 60 seconds.
How often should I flush?
- To help prevent infections: about once a week.
- During an infection: only if we told you to, alongside or after your prescribed ear drops, as often as we told you.
What if the flush bothers me?
- Stinging: an inflamed ear may sting a bit at first, and this usually eases as the ear heals. If it really hurts, stop and call us; this may not be the right treatment for your ear.
- Dizziness: a cool solution can make you briefly dizzy. Warm the filled syringe in a cup of warm tap water for 2 to 3 minutes, until a drop on your wrist feels lukewarm, before you flush. Never heat the solution on a stove or in a microwave: alcohol catches fire easily.
- Dry or chapped skin on the outer ear: dab a little baby oil on the dry areas after flushing.
- You can taste the solution, or feel air hiss out of the ear when you blow your nose: stop flushing and call us. This can be a sign of a hole in the eardrum.
Do and don't
Do
- Keep the solution in a labeled, closed container, away from children
- Dry the ear with a hair dryer on low after every flush
- Stop and call us if the flush causes real pain
Don’t
- Use ear flushes with ear tubes, a hole in your eardrum, or after ear surgery
- Heat the solution on a stove or in a microwave
- Put the syringe tip deep into the ear canal
- Use flushes to remove earwax
When should I call?
Call us for
- Ear pain that gets worse, or real pain when you flush
- Redness or swelling that spreads to the outer ear or the skin around it
- Fever, or drainage from the ear that does not improve
- Hearing loss or dizziness that does not go away after you flush
- An infection that is not clearly better within 2 to 3 days of starting your drops
- If you can taste the solution or feel air come out of the ear: stop flushing and call
- If you have diabetes or a weakened immune system: ear pain that gets worse, or new drainage, the same day
Austin 512-339-4040 · Lakeway 512-682-4798 · Marble Falls 830-992-2830
Questions patients ask
Anyone with ear tubes, a hole (perforation) in the eardrum, or past ear surgery. If you are not sure, ask us before you start.
About once a week to help prevent infections. During an infection, only if we told you to, alongside or after your prescribed ear drops.
They are mainly for prevention. For an active infection, prescription ear drops are the main treatment and work better than acidifying drops alone. If we recommend flushes during an infection, use them alongside or after your drops.
A cool solution can cause brief dizziness. Warm the filled syringe in a cup of warm tap water for 2 to 3 minutes before flushing. Never heat the solution on a stove or in a microwave, because alcohol catches fire easily.
No. We do not recommend rinsing out earwax at home. Use softening drops, and let us remove wax that stays blocked.
An inflamed ear may sting a bit at first, and it usually eases as the ear heals. If it really hurts, stop and call us.
This guide is for educational purposes only and does not replace an in-person evaluation. If we gave you different instructions, follow ours.
Full guide: capitalent.com/ear-flushes.html
Sources
- Rosenfeld RM, Schwartz SR, Cannon CR, et al. Clinical practice guideline: acute otitis externa. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014. PubMed
- van Balen FA, Smit WM, Zuithoff NP, Verheij TJ. Clinical efficacy of three common treatments in acute otitis externa in primary care: randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2003. PubMed