I love a good natural remedy! Recently I had a clogged ear. It was so bad I couldn’t hear out of it during parts of the day. I know I’m not supposed to stick anything in there and risk damaging the ear canal. I would usually use hydrogen peroxide but I was fresh out. A quick google search returned with using olive oil. I keep several bottles of extra virgin olive oil on hand for the beauty products I make for Devoted to Her. So I quickly grabbed some evoo, laid on my side and dropped the liquid gold in. I laid there for 15 minutes occasionally massaging the area around my ear. Once I was done I wiped the oil out and I was clog free! But why exactly did this work? Let’s discuss.

First, most clogged ears are caused by a buildup of earwax. Earwax isn’t actually a bad thing. It’s your body’s natural way of protecting the ear canal from dust, debris, and bacteria. The problem happens when that wax becomes hardened or impacted. When that happens, it can block sound from traveling properly through the ear canal, leaving you feeling like everything is muffled or underwater.

This is where olive oil comes in.

Olive oil works as a natural softener for earwax. When a few drops are placed in the ear, the oil helps loosen and soften hardened wax. Instead of sitting there like a stubborn plug, the wax begins to break down and move more easily. Once it softens, it can naturally work its way out of the ear canal or be wiped away gently from the outer ear.

Another reason olive oil works so well is its texture. It’s thick enough to coat the wax and penetrate it slowly. That coating action helps the wax absorb moisture and soften, which is exactly what we want when something is stuck or hardened inside the ear.

Olive oil is also very gentle. Unlike some harsher solutions, it doesn’t dry out or irritate the delicate skin inside the ear canal. That’s one reason it has been used traditionally for centuries in natural care practices.

Now, a couple of important things to keep in mind. This remedy works best for simple wax buildup. If you’re experiencing pain, dizziness, drainage, or you suspect an ear infection, it’s always best to have a healthcare professional take a look. And if you’ve had a ruptured eardrum before, you should skip putting anything in your ear unless a doctor tells you otherwise.

For occasional wax buildup though, a little olive oil can go a long way. Sometimes the simplest remedies are the ones that work the best.

And honestly, I love when something I already keep in my home for cooking or making natural products ends up being useful in a completely different way. It’s a good reminder that nature really does provide us with some beautifully simple solutions.

So if you ever find yourself dealing with a stubborn clogged ear and you have a bottle of extra virgin olive oil sitting in your kitchen, now you know why that little trick might actually work.