Rubbing Alcohol in the Ear: What’s Safe?
Medically reviewed by John Carew, MD
Rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl alcohol) can help evaporate water and dry out the skin in the ear canal. Using rubbing alcohol to clean out or irrigate the ear canal can help with certain conditions, such as swimmer’s ear.
However, there are other ear conditions in which rubbing alcohol should not be used as it can cause further damage or infection. If you irrigate the ear with rubbing alcohol, it’s important to do so properly and safely.
This article looks at when it is safe to put rubbing alcohol in the ear, when you should avoid it, and other treatments for common conditions that affect the ear.
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When Not to Put Rubbing Alcohol in the Ear
It can be harmful to put rubbing alcohol in the ear if you have certain health conditions.
Takeaway
Urgent care centers, clinics, and healthcare providers can treat common ear conditions like infections. If the ear condition is more serious or complex, it may need to be treated by an ear, nose, and throat specialist (otolaryngologist).
Middle Ear Infection
A middle ear infection (otitis media) affects the area behind the eardrum and can occur when a virus, an infection, or allergies stop fluid from draining from the middle ear. The infections are common in children but can also happen in adults.
Symptoms of a middle ear infection include:
Fever
Ear pain
Tugging or rubbing the ear
Trouble sleeping.
If you have a middle ear infection, it’s best to see a healthcare provider who can examine the ear and properly diagnose it before attempting at-home treatments.
Perforated Eardrum
A perforated eardrum (tympanic membrane), or a ruptured eardrum, is a tear or hole in the eardrum. Symptoms can include pain and trouble hearing.
If you have a perforated eardrum, puttng rubbing alcohol or other products in your ear can cause an infection.
Other Conditions
You should avoid putting rubbing alcohol or any other substances in your ears if you:
Had ear surgery
Have ear tubes
A history of middle ear disease
Inner ear conditions (especially vertigo)
Had radiation in the ear area
When to Put Rubbing Alcohol in the Ear
Ear irrigation is a method you can use to clean out the ear canal under certain conditions. One way to irrigate the ear canal is by putting a few drops of rubbing alcohol or using a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and rubbing alcohol in the ear.
Use a bulb syringe and tilt your head to the side before inserting a few drops into the ear. Hold your head to the side for a few minutes to allow the solution to absorb water and kill bacteria. In general, however, it is preferable to irrigate the ear canal with warm water, which is much less irritating than alcohol or acetic acid.
Swimmer's Ear
Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) is a bacterial infection of the outer ear and ear canal, which runs from the ear opening to the eardrum. Swimmer’s ear usually occurs when water is in the external ear canal for an extended period, such as when swimming, leading to an overgrowth of bacteria. The infection is most common in children but can also occur in adults.
Shaking the head, drying the ears with a towel, or letting the ears dry completely can all help remove the water. If none of these methods works, ear irrigation with rubbing alcohol may help remove excess water and dry out the ear. Or, you can irrigate the ear canal with warm water.
Takeaway
You should never put objects, including cotton swabs, in your ear canal. Doing so can push wax or other substances deeper into your ear canal or scratch or puncture your eardrum.
Earwax
Ear wax (cerumen) keeps the ears healthy by trapping particles and protecting the eardrum. Typically, earwax moves naturally out of the ear canal, but, in some cases, it can build up either on its own, due to hearing aid use, or improper use of cotton swabs.
When this happens, it’s known as impaction and can cause symptoms such as:
Rubbing alcohol can help dry the wax, so it moves out of the ear canal on its own. Using rubbing alcohol from a squeezable bottle with a special tip every week was found to be safe and effective in reducing earwax and decreasing medical visits for earwax removal and hearing aid cleaning.
Treating Common Ear Ailments (Without Rubbing Alcohol)
There are other treatments for common ear ailments other than the use of rubbing alcohol.
Ear Infections
Most middle ear infections go away on their own without treatment or with oral antibiotics. Resting, drinking plenty of fluids, and using over-the-counter (OTC) pain and cold medications can help relieve symptoms. Antibiotics might be needed if the ear infection is severe or lasts longer than a few days.
Swimmer’s ear also occasionally clears up on its own or with at-home care, but more serious cases may need treatments with antibiotic drops.
Earwax
Earwax impactions occasionally clear up on their own. If this doesn't occur, you can try treatments such as:
Irrigation: This can be done at home using warm water or mineral oil if rubbing alcohol is causing pain or irritation.
Ear drops: Wax softening agents (cerumenolytics) can help soften or break up wax and be used with or without irrigation.
Physical removal: This is performed by a healthcare provider using a suction device or other instrument.
Perforated Eardrum
Perforated eardrums usually heal on their own. If yours does not heal, an ear, nose, and throat specialist (an otolaryngologist) may need to perform a procedure (tympanoplasty) to place an eardrum patch over the hole or tear.
Takeaway
See a healthcare provider as soon as possible if you have a fever of 102.2 degrees F or higher, discharge or fluid coming from your ear, hearing loss, or if your symptoms last more than three days.
Summary
Ear wax impaction and swimmer’s ear can be helped by ear irrigation with rubbing alcohol.
However, other conditions, including a middle ear infection and perforated eardrum, can be made worse by using rubbing alcohol.
If you are unsure what is causing your ear pain or other symptoms, it’s best to consult a healthcare provider to get a proper diagnosis. While some conditions that affect the ear typically go away on their own, others may require further treatment.
