@Mary McCarthyite: That's never happened to me but sometimes I go deaf in one ear for about 10-20 seconds and I found out that happens when a hair in your ear falls out. Or something like that.

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@Mary McCarthyite: That has happened to me before! It's what my super long pinky nails are for. I use them to scrap that sucker clean.

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@Zombie Ms. Skittles: Uuuuuck, I do that too, but hearing someone describe it so grody! Did you ever hear that old saw about how you're not supposed to stick anything smaller than your elbow in your ear? Which doesn't even make sense! The TIP of your elbow? That's pretty small.

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@Mary McCarthyite: When I was swimming as a girl, I temporarily lost my hearing out of the blue.

So my mother made me lie my head down on the bed, then poured hydrogen peroxide into my ear canal.

It bubbled and bubbled, and felt a little funny. Then a giant wad of wax and paper floated to the top, and I could hear. Freaky!

Anyway. Every since then I've periodically cleansed my ears with hydrogen peroxide that way. It's tingly, fun, and cleans your ears!

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@ablative: What strength peroxide do you use? Do you water it down?

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@Mary McCarthyite: Ugh, I'm sorry :( I have a deformed inner ear canal (TMI?) and that happens to me a lot. I just tap the outside flap on my ear, which helps a little. I have heard that you can use a salt water rinse (with hot water) but I've never tried it.

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@Plum-Pie: I had to go check. I just use the regular 3% strength peroxide that comes at the drugstore. I usually cut it with water, so about half peroxide, half water. And I don't use very much, maybe half a dixie cup's worth?

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@ablative: Thanks!

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@Mary McCarthyite: I was hearing double for a few days there - I blame rogue earwax. Baby oil or olive oil will dissolve the wax enough to wipe it away - but no Q-tips!

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