water in ears


Water can traps in your ear canal after swimming, diving, or taking a shower. The water in ears often flows out spontaneously. But It may remain in your ear canal from time to time.

When water gets in your ear, you may feel a tickling sensation that extends from the ear to the jaw or throat. In addition, you probably will have a problem with hearing. Maybe you may hear muffled sounds.

The water trapped in the ear canal must definitely be drained out. Otherwise, it can cause ear infection, known as swimmer’s ear or otitis externa. Because a moist environment in your ear canal creates appropriate conditions for the growth of bacterias in your ear.

If you’ve had a swimmer’s ear infection in the past, your ears may prone to a new infection. In this case, it is more important keeping your ear canal clean and dry.

Also, You can prevent to trap water in your ears by wearing earplugs while bathing or swimming.

In this article, we shared 10 effective methods on how to get the water out of your ear. Using these methods, you can easily remove the water in your ears.

10 Effective Ways to Get Water Out of Your Ear

Although swimming is often the cause, you can get water trapped in your ear canal from any exposure to water. There are several safe methods to get water out of your ears.

1. Tug and Jiggle Your Earlobe

This method is one of the most practical and effective methods you will use to drain the water in your ear.

  1. Tilt your head to the side toward your shoulder.
  2. Hold your earlobe and gently tug or jiggle your earlobe.
  3. Finally, shake your head from side to side while in this position.

Besides, you can jump simultaneously or move your mouth while performing this procedure. These movements will help to get the water out from your ear.

2. Create A Vacuum

This method is based on evacuating water in the ear by creating a suction.

  1. Tilt your head sideways
  2. Keep your palm tightly cupped over your ear for creating a vacuum
  3. Gently push your hand back and forth toward your ear in a rapid motion, flattening it as you push and cupping it as you pull away

3. Use Gravity

You can use gravity should help the water drain from your ear. With this method, you can remove the water in your ear without any effort.

  1. Lay on your side for a while with your affected ear on a soft, cotton towel
  2. Wait for the water slowly flow out of your ear with the power of gravity

Also, The movements that open the eustachian tube such as yawn, swallow, chew a piece of gum may make the easier discharge of water. Don’t stick the towel into the canal.

4. Apply A Warm Compress

Using heat can help the water in your ear evaporate or drain out. Resting your affected ear on a warm compress.

  1. Soak a towel in hot water
  2. Compress it to the outside of your ear for a minute
  3. Retract it for a minute
  4. Repeat this routine four times
  5. The heat will help to open your auditory tube

5. Use Steam

You can try this method alternating to a warm compress. warm steam can help release water from your middle ear through your eustachian tubes.

  1. Fill a large bowl with steaming hot water
  2. Cover your head and bowl with a towel to trap the steam
  3. Hold your face over the bowl
  4. Inhale the steam for 5 or 10 minutes
  5. Finally, tilt your head to the side to drain your ear

Be careful when working with hot water.

6. Perform The Valsalva Maneuver

If the water in your ear is in a little deeper, the Valsalva maneuver can be useful for draining water from your ear. This method allows the eustachian tubes to open and makes it easier to flow water out from your ear.

  1. Take a breath deeply
  2. Close your mouth and pinch your nose with your fingers
  3. Slowly blow the air out of your nose

If you hear a popping sound, it means the Eustachian tubes have opened.

You can also do the same by taping one side of straw and blow into it. Avoid blowing too hard to prevent damage to your eardrum.

7. Use A Blow Dryer

Evaporating the trapped water in the ear using a blow dryer is one of the frequently used methods for removing water in the ears. The heat from the hairdryer can assist evaporate the water inside your ear canal.

  1. Turn your blow dryer on the lowest setting
  2. Hold the blow dryer about a foot away from your ear
  3. Move it in a back-and-forth motion
  4. Ensure the warm air blow into your ear by tugging down on your earlobe
  5. Be careful not to hold the dryer too close to the ear to avoid burns

8. Mix Alcohol And Vinegar For A Eardrops

If other methods for getting the water out from your ear did not work, you can use eardrops that contain the mixture of alcohol and vinegar.

The alcohol is helpful for evaporating the water in your ear. It also inhibits the growth of bacteria. Vinegar helps prevent infection by showing a similar effect on bacterias as alcohol. Besides, If the trapped water occurs due to earwax buildup, the vinegar may help remove it.

To make drying drops at home, you can mix equal parts of rubbing alcohol and vinegar. You can apply this mixture to your ear by using a sterile dropper or your finger.

  1. Apply two or three drops of these eardrops into your ear.
  2. Wait 30 seconds
  3. Tilt your head sideways to let the solution drain out.

9. Use Hydrogen Peroxide Eardrops

Hydrogen peroxide can be preferred when other simple methods you use to remove the water in your ear do not work. Hydrogen peroxide ear drops assist to clean earwax and other ear debris that traps water in our ear.

You can find a hydrogen peroxide solution online or in pharmacies.

  1. Dilute hydrogen peroxide with water
  2. Drop 3 to 4 ear drops to your ear
  3. Wait for a few minutes
  4. Tilt your head to the sideway to let the liquid flow out

10. Try Over-The-Counter Drying Eardrops

You can try over-the-counter (OTC) eardrops to remove the water in your ear. These ear drops are available in drug stores or pharmacies.

These alcohol-based ear drops usually have benefits such as removing moisture in the outer ear, helping prevent ear infections, and contributing to cleaning earwax and debris.

If you choose an over-the-counter ear drop, make sure you follow the directions on the package. Also, avoid this method, if you have ear tubes, ear infection, ear drainage, or damaged eardrums.

Don’ts For Getting Water Out of Your Ears

Doing wrong practices to drain the water in your ear can lead to various problems such as clogging your ear canal by earwax and eardrum damage. Also, these methods can cause your ears to become infected.

The most common problems as a result of misapplications are as follows:

  • Adding bacteria to the ear canal
  • Pushing the water deeper into your ear
  • Injuring your ear canal
  • Puncturing your eardrum


  • Avoid using cotton ear swabs
  • Don’t insert your finger or any other object to your ear
  • Avoid using any ear drops, if you have conditions like an outer ear infection, a perforated eardrum or tympanostomy tubes (eardrum tubes)

How To Prevent Water In Ears

  • Use earplugs while swimming or bathing
  • Remove earbuds if you’re sweaty.
  • After you leave the water, thoroughly dry the outside of your ear with a towel.
  • Shake the head from side to side after getting out of the water for helping to drain water from the ears.