Swimmer's Ear Drops

Submitted by BarbieinTN

"Hi, I am a pediatrician & this is what I recommend to my patients. The alcohol helps dry the canal and the vinegar acidifies it which inhibits bacterial growth. Cheap and easy!"

 

• Ready In: 5mins
• Ingredients: 2
• Yields: bottle

ingredients

• 1 fluid ounce vinegar
• 1 fluid ounce rubbing alcohol

directions

1. Mix the vinegar and alcohol in a small dropper bottle.
2. After swimming or bathing, dry the ears well and add a few drops to each canal.
3. Remember, don't put anything into your ear canal smaller than your elbow (especially cotton swabs)!

Reviews

[didyb]

Effective as long as an infection hasn't already set in. If you don't have a dropper bottle, just soak a cotton ball with the solution and squeeze a few drops into the affected ear(s).

 

[LonghornMama]

Got this from an ENT at least 15 years ago. I use as a preventative, adding a couple of drops to the kids' ears each time they get out of the pool. It works! Thanks for sharing!

 

[DotchiLatham]

We use this recipe and it works great! It's also inexpenisve to make. Much cheaper than the $3-$6 bottles we bought at the store.

 

[zeldaz51]

It is imperative to stress that this is NOT a CURE for an infection, but a PREVENTATIVE step. Putting vineghar and/or alcohol on inflamed tissue will cause painful burning in the ear. One member's child was given this during an active infection, screamed for a 20 minutes afterward, and had hearing difficulty the next day, according to the post the parent made in the Q & A forum. So, please, make sure this concoction is used as it was intended.

 

[jackson615re]

This works wonders, we have used it for the past two years.