Tilting your head to the side and gently tugging your earlobe is usually enough to drain trapped water from your ear after swimming. If that doesn’t work within a few minutes, several other techniques can break the seal that’s keeping water locked in your ear canal. Most cases resolve on their own or with simple home methods, but water that stays trapped for more than a day or two can lead to infection.
Why Water Gets Stuck in Your Ear
Water doesn’t get trapped deep inside your ear. It pools in the external ear canal, the narrow tube that runs from the outer ear to the eardrum. The canal has a slight curve to it, and when water enters, the molecules cling together and form a curved surface called a meniscus. Surface tension holds that water in place like a tiny plug, which is why simply shaking your head doesn’t always do the trick. You need to break that surface tension or give the water a clear path to drain.
Simple Techniques That Work
Start with the easiest approach: tilt your head so the affected ear faces the ground, and gently tug or jiggle your earlobe. This straightens the ear canal slightly and gives gravity a chance to pull the water out. You can also try shaking your head side to side while your ear is tilted down.
If that doesn’t clear it, lie on your side with the affected ear on a towel for a few minutes. Sometimes patience is all it takes for the water to slowly work its way out.
Another option is creating a vacuum with your hand. Tilt your head sideways and press your cupped palm flat against your ear to form a seal. Push your hand gently back and forth in a rapid motion, alternating between flattening and cupping your palm. This creates suction that can pull the water free. Then tilt your ear down to let it drain.
The “More Water” Method
This one sounds counterintuitive, but it works. Lie on your side and use a clean dropper to add a few drops of water into the affected ear. Wait about five seconds, then flip over so the ear faces down. The added water merges with the trapped water, and the combined volume is heavy enough to overcome the surface tension and drain out together.
Steam
Fill a large bowl with steaming hot water, drape a towel over your head to trap the steam, and hold your face over the bowl for 5 to 10 minutes. The warm, moist air can help loosen things up. Afterward, tilt your head to let the ear drain. This is especially helpful if the water has been sitting for a while.
Drying Drops You Can Make or Buy
If physical techniques aren’t doing the job, ear drying drops can evaporate the remaining moisture. You can make your own by mixing equal parts rubbing alcohol and white vinegar. The alcohol speeds evaporation, and the vinegar helps prevent bacterial growth. Use a clean dropper to place a few drops in the affected ear, wait about 30 seconds, then tilt your ear down to drain.
Over-the-counter ear drying drops work on the same principle. Most contain about 95% isopropyl alcohol with a small amount of glycerin to reduce irritation. You’ll find them at any pharmacy, usually labeled as “swimmer’s ear drops” or “ear drying aid.”
One important caution: do not use any type of drops if you think you might have a ruptured eardrum. The eardrum normally acts as a barrier protecting the middle ear from water and bacteria. If it’s perforated, drops can pass through and cause infection or pain. Signs of a ruptured eardrum include sudden sharp pain, hearing loss, or drainage from the ear that looks different from clear water.
What Not to Do
The biggest mistake people make is reaching for a cotton swab. Swabs don’t remove water effectively, and they push earwax deeper into the canal, which can actually trap more moisture behind it. Worse, they can scrape the delicate skin lining the ear canal and cause bleeding, or even puncture the eardrum. Pieces of cotton can also break off and get lodged inside the canal. Keep cotton swabs away from the inside of your ear entirely.
Sticking fingers, keys, bobby pins, or anything else into the ear canal carries the same risks. Your ear canal is only about the width of a pencil, and the skin inside is thin and easily damaged.
When Trapped Water Becomes a Problem
Water that sits in the ear canal for too long creates a warm, moist environment where bacteria thrive. This can lead to swimmer’s ear (otitis externa), an infection of the outer ear canal. Early signs include itching, redness, and mild discomfort that gets worse when you tug on your earlobe or press on the small flap at the front of your ear. As the infection progresses, pain increases, the canal may swell partially shut, and you might notice fluid draining from the ear.
Most mild cases respond well to prescription ear drops within a few days. But if pain is severe, doesn’t improve with treatment, or you develop fever, significant hearing loss, or pain that radiates to your face or neck, that signals a more serious infection. People with diabetes or weakened immune systems are at higher risk for complications and should be especially attentive to ear pain that doesn’t resolve quickly.
Preventing Water From Getting Trapped
If you swim regularly and deal with this problem often, prevention saves a lot of frustration. Swimmer’s earplugs are the most straightforward solution. Store-bought options come in silicone or putty varieties, and research has found that soft silicone earplugs are the most effective at preventing water from entering the canal. They’re inexpensive, reusable, and moldable to fit your ear shape.
For people who get frequent ear infections, custom-molded earplugs from an audiologist offer a more precise fit. They cost more upfront but tend to last longer and seal more reliably.
A few other habits help. Tilt your head side to side after getting out of the water to let any pooled water drain immediately. Dry your outer ears thoroughly with a towel. And if you’re prone to trapped water, using a couple of drying drops after each swim session can prevent moisture from sitting long enough to cause trouble.