Originally Posted by After Shock Media

Every ear doctor will gladly explain to you that Q-tip and things that look like these are NOT for your ears. Even check the packaging and you will notice it does not mention using on your ears anywhere. They are super bad for your ears and cause many problems.
Light rinsing, I like warm oil with those ear bulb things (look like those things people use to suck baby snot out of their noses).

I learned most of this after having to take the wife to the ear doctor after her ear started bothering her. He inserted the funnel thing in her ear and tried a mini vacuum to clean it and that was not working. He then slid a miniature pick into the funnel and her ear and even though I was sitting across the room a good 12-15 feet away I could see this huge dark glob he pulled out on the pick - like the size of a pea. Then he vacuumed out her ears after that. Said it was wax that got packed in by her using the q-tips. Then explained the evils of them to us. She also was amazed at how well she could then hear again from that ear.