Here’s an article about why you shouldn’t use Q-tips to clean your ear. The writer, Chris M. Carmichael, explained the hazards of using Q-tips for ear care here:
www.associatedcontent.com/article/581555/proper_ear_care_tips_.html Granted, one isn’t likely to do much harm to the ear if Q-tips are used to simply dab at the
exterior of the ear or even the back of an ear. My mother always told me wash behind my ears. Using a Q-tip to check for remaining dirt works fine.
After reading Chris Carmichael’s article, I was curious. I wondered why people actually bought Q-tips. Was ear care the number one reason? What other uses did the product have? Although I’m still trying to discover if most people use Q-tips for ear care, my research did turn up one recent and grisly story. According to a CBC story of Feb 6, 2008, a man died of “complications” after he accidentally pierced his ear drum with a cotton swab. You can see the link here:
www.cbc.ca/news/yourview/2008/02/a_cotton_swab_in_the_ear_can_k.html
This is no joke. Is this rare? I don’t know but I’m not sticking Q-tips in my ears anymore. I’m also not going to follow the coroner’s advice to use my little finger instead, mainly because I rarely have a bottle of alcohol (well, not rubbing alcohol anyway) on m desk to wipe off my little finger first. Also, a Q-tip somehow seems better than a little finger for one’s ears but I think a little finger won’t go that far into the ear. Other people have told me nothing smaller than an elbow should go in one’s ear. Point taken.
If you happen to have stocked up on Q-tips solely for the purpose of removing ear wax, here are some alternate uses:
1. Applying eye shadow – they can be used to blend different shades of eye color on the eyelid or create a smoky eye, very dramatic at night.
2. Cleaning or polishing furniture – Some antique furniture is very elaborate and has annoyingly tiny areas which are hard to reach with a traditional dust cloth. Q-tips often do the job.
3. Cleaning computer keyboards – This didn’t work so well on my old keyboard but I now have one that doesn’t attract stray dust and crumbs. Yes, I use a cover but still….there are those times when I happen to have liquid in my mouth, read something funny and then end up with a bit of liquid on my keyboard. Q-tips help, quickly.
4. Air vents in cars and homes – Some metal vents will rust or get discolored if you put moisture on them. Use Q-tips and you can quickly dust off the heating and air conditioning vents in cars as well as those in your home.
Again, I suggest you read Chris Carmichael’s article to get the scoop on the dangers of using Q-tips for your ears. In the meantime, perhaps they can help you when putting on makeup or cleaning small appliances or items in your home.
