Cotton swabs
Even though it's gunky, wax exists to protect your delicate inner ear structures from dust and debris. So it's healthy, but if it builds up, it can cause an ache or annoying feeling of fullness. That's why you might routinely dig out whatever's in there with Q-tips, something doctors don't recommend: "If you accidentally place the Q-tip anywhere past the ear canal, you can push wax further in and even perforate the ear drum," says Sujana Chandrasekhar, MD, director of New York Otology in Manhattan.
Stay safe: Forget the cotton swab. "There's no reason to clean out any of the gunk from your ears except the part that can be removed by sweeping the pad of your index finger in the opening of the canal," Dr. Chandrasekhar says. "Any wax deeper than that is actually doing a nice job of protecting your ears already." If you do have an earache, see your doctor for any remedies.