Q tips

Che · 01-28-2010, 12:03 PM

Man I love these things. Every day I go through at least 3 Q tips. Not because my ears are that dirty, but because they feel awesome. I love the feeling of having a Qtip in my ear for some reason. I use one right after I get outta the shower (this is a must, or else I'll go insane from that feeling of water being in there), and then I'll use more throughout the day randomly.

Anyone else do this? Anyone else have a similar thing they do?

**Meier Link** · 01-28-2010, 12:07 PM

I use 2 per day, one per ear and I use both sides.

I am the same way, my ears don't really get dirty because of it and I hate that water feeling. I have to agree that feeling is superhellabadassyo!

Just sucks because like 3 days ago I ran out of the normal q-tips and now I am stealing the ones intended for the baby haha. Deffinantly not the same. They are the safety ones and they suck! I feel dirty after using them.

**Unknown Entity** · 01-28-2010, 01:38 PM

Using them everyday? Isn't that bad for the ear canal? =S

I use them maybe once or twice a week. Like Meier, I use two for each ear and use both sides.

I used to use them every day, but had one hell of an awful experience once which ended up in me being deaf for four/five months. x__x

**Josh_R** · 01-28-2010, 03:42 PM

I go through quite a few q-tips a day. When I wake I use two of em, one for each both sides this is for cleaning purpose's. Then after my morning workout I shower, and I use two more, this is just cause they feel great. Then I have my second and last workout of the day. When I shower after this I use an additional two more once again because it feels so good. My doctor told me it isn't good to do it that many times a day, but I like the feel so f*ck him if I go deaf my fault...

Only bad things about the q-tips is sometimes in the morning i'll be so out of it I don't pay attention, and I will push them to far into my ear, and then it hurts like a bitch.

**Block** · 01-28-2010, 05:22 PM

I don't use Qtips anymore. As a kid I used two after every shower to clean my ears, but one year my mom read an article in some magazine that basically said this:

The most common use for cotton swabs is to clean the ear canal and/or to remove earwax. However, medical experts recommend that it should not be used for that purpose as it can push earwax deeper into the ear, making it harder to remove [3] and can be dangerous, possibly causing eardrum perforations and has proven to be fatal in at least "four or five ... cases"[4].

That is an excerpt from the Wiki on cotton swabs and not actually what my mom read, but it highlights the same points.

**T.G. Oskar** · 01-28-2010, 05:33 PM

I don't use Q-Tips (or cotton swabs) that much for terms of ear cleaning. I use them, however, when I do a more precise cleaning in conjunction with another product.

Ever since I was a wee lad, my sister tended to clean my ears with a combination of hydrogen peroxide poured directly into the ear canal, along with Q-Tips to gather the still-stuck earwax that wasn't dissolved or caught in the resulting liquid. In fact, hydrogen peroxide works just as well, although your ear feels itchy afterwards. Q-Tips work perfectly to relieve that, although it must be done carefully. Preferably, with someone else doing it.

There's also another way I use Q-Tips, but even less. It has to deal with navel cleaning and baby oil; you soak the swab in baby oil, and gently sweep it around the navel to gather all the dirt. Preferably done before or well after eating (when you don't feel stuffed at all), since the sensation is a tad tingling. Believe me, navels can get pretty dirty without such precise cleaning.

Also, baby oil + cotton swabs are great for cleaning the earlobes and the ear's exterior (just not inside, unless you do it along with hydrogen peroxide and very, very gently as mentioned before). They're great for taking soap residues along with stuck dirt.

I know, I know...it's pretty disgusting, but it's hygiene nonetheless. Hygiene will deal with grime, dirt and disgust somewhat.

**Jin** · 01-28-2010, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by Unknown Entity

Using them everyday? Isn't that bad for the ear canal? =S

Yes they are. Sticking something roughly the same size and shape as your ear canal into your ear to remove gunk is kind of pointless. It will get out stuff around the sides of the canal, but anything stuck in the back will just get packed down further.

A doctor once told me that a little mineral oil in your ears is a good way to clean them out. That or one of those water based ear cleaners. Those things are the shit.

**Block** · 01-28-2010, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by Jin

That or one of those water based ear cleaners. Those things are the shit.

Those things do feel AWESOME! Water rushing around in your ear canal sounds and feels quite awesome. IMO.

AWESOME

**loaf** · 01-28-2010, 05:29 PM

Wikipedia is always right.

I don't jam it into my ear, I just get rid of all the dirt on my ear, I've accidentally pushed it to far in when I was a kid.

**smurphy** · 01-28-2010, 05:46 PM

I dont use Q tips to clean my ears. Why? Its because I use the handles on my glasses which are the perfect size for the job. It may seem disgusting but apparently its common practice.

**GypsyElder** · 01-28-2010, 06:40 PM

I usually use them right when I get out of the shower, I kind of have to use them to because I have plugs and I clean them everyday. I get kind of paranoid using them now because I used one not too long ago, and the cotton part got stick in my ear -_-

EDIT: Oh, and for taking off eye make-up they're a must

I keep some in my purse.

**Rocky** · 01-28-2010, 07:07 PM

I use them once in awhile, but I kind of have a phobia of Q tips to be honest. One time, one of the ends broke off in my dad's ear. It's too far in for him to get it out; I used a stethascope one time to look at it, its super far into his ear canal lol. I'm scared of that happening to me so I don't use them all that often, just whenever I feel like I'm plugged up.

**chrono** · 01-28-2010, 07:19 PM

You guys sure like q-tips.....

I have not use a q-tip in a while,i just wash my ears with the towel i use in the shower.

***Priscilla*** · 01-28-2010, 11:12 PM

I use Q tips often. I don't have dirty ears at all and whenever I use them there is hardly anything there. I just use them because I like the feeling and I feel clean after I do it. Haha.

I hate when we run out though.

**Dodie16** · 01-28-2010, 11:31 PM

I use Q-tips for all kinds of things. Yeah, I clean my ears with them, but I also use them to soften the makeup around my eyes, and apply Orajel to my gums (I started wearing my retainer again, and my gums hurt).

Has anyone heard of a thing called ear candles? They're awesome. What they are is a long and slender cone thing that you stick in your ear, and you light the other end on fire. Then, the earwax gets sucked out of your ear. I know that sounds really weird, but it feels really good.

One thing though, you can't do it all the time, and you need a person there with you to do this so you won't get burned. My mommy did it for me when I had a really bad earache, and after she was finished, it didn't hurt anymore.

**Tiffany** · 01-29-2010, 06:37 AM

I have a kid. Limitless opportunities!

I don't stick the Q-Tip in my ear canal, just clean the outer parts.

**Alpha** · 01-30-2010, 01:40 AM

Q-tip? Is that a brand name? I've never heard that before.

I use cotton-swabs to clean my ears occasionally, but I've got an underlying fear of using them. I'm more likely to just get a wet flannel, wrap my finger in it, and twist it around my ear canal (as well as the outer ear). It's much harder to get your finger jammed in your ear, but probably still possible to force wax deep inside.

Che · 01-30-2010, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Alpha

Q-tip? Is that a brand name? I've never heard that before.

I use cotton-swabs to clean my ears occasionally, but I've got an underlying fear of using them. I'm more likely to just get a wet flannel, wrap my finger in it, and twist it around my ear canal (as well as the outer ear). It's much harder to get your finger jammed in your ear, but probably still possible to force wax deep inside.

I knew it was a brand name, but I seriously thought they were everywhere, haha. Apparently I'm wrong.

**Tiffany** · 01-30-2010, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by Alpha

Q-tip? Is that a brand name? I've never heard that before.

I use cotton-swabs to clean my ears occasionally, but I've got an underlying fear of using them. I'm more likely to just get a wet flannel, wrap my finger in it, and twist it around my ear canal (as well as the outer ear). It's much harder to get your finger jammed in your ear, but probably still possible to force wax deep inside.

That gave me the heebie-jeebies just reading it.

How do you stand the sound of the towel in your ear? Its like fingernails down a chalkboard for me. Can't do it.

Although I've heard that the way you do it is the 'better' way to clean your ears.

**Bleachfangirl** · 01-31-2010, 11:35 PM

I love Q-tips. They're fluffy, soft, and make my ears happy when they're wet. =D I usually use two a day; same as Meier. One for each ear, and then both sides of each Q-tip. I kind of go crazy with them though...I don't know why, but it feels really good when I stick them really far in my ear and twist it around. I think maybe my ears' insides are itchy, and I can only scratch them with Q-tips. XD

But one time, I kept twisting for a long time, and when I pulled the stick thing out, the cotton was stuck in my ear. T-T It took forever getting the fluffy happy stuff out with tweezers.