Ask a Question
or
Create a Poll
  1. Home /
  2. Questions /
  3. Health
  4. / Home Remedies
  5. / Ear, Nose And Throat Home Remedies
  6. / Ear Remedies

by amy thompson on July 7th, 2004

amy thompson

Question

Help answer this question below.

How do you get water out of an ear?

  • Like
  • Report
Share:
Other

Answers. 53 helpful answers below.

  • by Rebecca on July 14th, 2007

    Rebecca

    Great Answer

    Hand-picked by Answerbag's staff. (What's this?)

    i found on a site, "The Doctor's Book of Home Remedies" that mentioned using drops of rubbing alcohol. I didn't have that, so I noticed it mentioned using **White Vinegar**! I was surprised, but it worked for me! Just lean your head to the side with the affected ear face up, then pull your earlobe, pulling it down and then up (supposedly opens up the ear canal). Put a drop or two of the vinegar in, wiggle your ear. Then wait a couple seconds before and turn your head so the ear faces down. All the water in your ears drains out right away!

    • Like
    • Report

    5 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by Dr James Mills on June 24th, 2008

    Dr James Mills

    IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET WATER OUT OF YOUR EAR READ ON!!!

    Hi, sorry about the capitals but this method really does work! Sat here searching the internet for 40 minutes now, literally tried everything... finally got the water out, and am a happy camper again!

    The best natural way is to insert more water, which flushes out the original water. I used a straw almost like a pipet to suck up about a quater of a straws worth of water (squeezing the top so the water does not come out, like a bartender when testing a cocktail) then release the top of the straw letting the water run straight into your ear... I then quickly tilted my head and all the water in my ear drained out! I no longer have that horrible echoey sensation when I tap my head!

    Very simple and effective!

    N.B. - if using a cotton bud be extremly careful as damage to the eardrum can occur very easily!

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by carlito on June 9th, 2008

    carlito

    all you do is tilt your head on the affected ear ; and jump up and down . it works everytime !

    • Like
    • Report

    2 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by ...... on November 30th, 2007

    ......

    what I do is tilt my head to whichever side has water in it and yawn. Yawning flexes the muscles in the ear and pushes the water out. I do not know if it will work for everyone but it does for me. good luck.

    • Like
    • Report

    2 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by Kevisaurus is a Carnotaurus today on May 25th, 2008

    Kevisaurus is a Carnotaurus today

    Have you tried tilting the effected ear downward and then tapping your ear with an open palm.
    Also pinch your nostrils and close your mouth and then
    gently blow.

    Best of luck with that.

    • Like
    • Report

    2 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by Puzz is a Jedi-Ninja-Wannabe on December 3rd, 2007

    Puzz is a Jedi-Ninja-Wannabe

    What I do is, I tell my sister I can't hear what she's saying and get my ear close to her face. Then I put my finger in my other ear and squeeze my nostrils and blow real hard. The water will shoot right out of there.
    Just kidding.
    The rubbing alcohol will do the trick. I haven't tried the white vinegar, though, but maybe I'll try that next time. It's gotta be better than whiplash. Be careful using Q-tips but that does work with rubbing alcohol.
    If you're having that problem often, you should wear ear plugs. Works for me, but its not as much fun as seeing the look on my sister's face. :-Þ

    • Like
    • Report

    2 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by burritoeatr127 on June 29th, 2009

    burritoeatr127

    OMG!! the one by dr. james mills actually worked!!!!!?!?!?!?!!!!?!?!!!?!!!!?!
    also to make it easier chew some gum while u r doing it
    i tried EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE (without killing myself) and then i tried that and it worked!!! dr james u r awesome thx!

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Esperanza on February 24th, 2009

    Esperanza

    First, don't touch the ear. Second, try tilting your head. If it doe not work, prepare a mix 1:1 of white vinegar and isopropyl alcohol and put 1-2 drops in the ear to help accelerate the drying. If the water in the ear is causing pain, do to the doctor.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by Sweet T on June 12th, 2008

    Sweet T

    Put your blow dryer about a foot away from your ear on warm, it will dry it out, it has helped many people, I gave that advice to someone on here, they had a problem for a long time, they try that and it worked.

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Bob on May 26th, 2008

    Bob

    you've tried everything so whats left buddy?
    try lying down in bed on ur hand like going to sleep position and the water will naturally come out :D

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by one lando on December 3rd, 2007

    one lando

    Use H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide). A couple of drops should help. Let it set in your ear for a few minutes. Then wipe out the excess.

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Laceey on August 10th, 2009

    Laceey

    Well, I'm a teenage girl and I got home from a swimming party and went to sleep. I woke up at 5 am, with this annoying water in my ear, I looked up how to get it out. There were so many things to try. I couldn't find H2O2, or white vinager. So i tried just regular water. I took an ice cube, and warmed it up with my hands and let two drops drip into my ear, and QUICKLY put the ear with water in it face down. It works wonderfully. (:

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by BooneLee on February 24th, 2009

    BooneLee

    Tilt your head so the affected ear is upwards, put two drops of rubbing alcohol in the ear. Pull on the outside of your ear to straighten the canal and turn your head so the affected ear is facing down. The alcohol helps pull the water out and down.


    Also, a hair dryer on warm (not hot) for about thirty seconds can help dry the inner ear.

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Ray on February 24th, 2009

    Ray

    Tilt your head?

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Dr James Mills on June 24th, 2008

    Dr James Mills

    IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET WATER OUT OF YOUR EAR READ ON!!!

    Hi, sorry about the capitals but this method really does work! Sat here searching the internet for 40 minutes now, literally tried everything... finally got the water out, and am a happy camper again!

    The best natural way is to insert more water, which flushes out the original water. I used a straw almost like a pipet to suck up about a quater of a straws worth of water (squeezing the top so the water does not come out, like a bartender when testing a cocktail) then release the top of the straw letting the water run straight into your ear... I then quickly tilted my head and all the water in my ear drained out! I no longer have that horrible echoey sensation when I tap my head!

    Very simple and effective!

    N.B. - if using a cotton bud be extremly careful as damage to the eardrum can occur very easily!

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by unknown on May 25th, 2008

    unknown

    Are you ok?

    • Like
    • Report

    4 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by C-C. on November 30th, 2007

    C-C.

    My aunt told me to put rubbing alcohol with a little water mixed together in a cotton swab and squeezing the drops into my ear. Tilting head the other way for a minute or so and then draining it out. Catching the drops as they dribble out.

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Rage Of Reason on November 30th, 2007

    Rage Of Reason

    No joke.

    Put two drops of white vinegar in your ear (keep your head tilted so that it stays) for about two minutes and then tilt your head the other way and let it run out.

    • Like
    • Report

    5 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by wander-er-er the vulcanologist on November 30th, 2007

    wander-er-er the vulcanologist

    I don't know that there's any good way, but I like to lay on my side with the ear down until it drains.

    • Like
    • Report

    2 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by wvwoman on August 17th, 2006

    wvwoman

    I know what you mean, this happened to me almost everytime we went swimming. Tilt your ear up and pour in a cap of hydrogen peroxide. Let sit for a few minutes while rubbing the outside of your ear. This should take care of the problem. Good luck.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by Anonymous on May 4th, 2006

    Anonymous

    Turn your head over to the affected side. tilt your head down. place your little finger in the affected ear and shake violently. what did you say? it worked and you can hear now? wonderful, works every time.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by Anonymous on August 2nd, 2005

    Anonymous

    This is what I used it is a vinegar remedyto use as a home made vinegar wash to make a 50/50 mixture using equal parts of rubbing alcohol and distilled white vinegar. Put the mixture in a clean eyedropper bottle. The alcohol will kill germs and evaporate any water that's trapped in the ear. Use several drops after swimming. Tilt your head and pull your earlobe to get the mixture into the ear canal. This will help cure swimmer's ear or prevent it from happening in the first place. Then hold a hair dryer about 12 inches away from your ear on a cool med setting to be sure and dry the whole ear and canal.

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by irishghillietoes on July 19th, 2004

    irishghillietoes

    I currently have swimmers ear, but it is getting better! The remedy? Put your hairdryer on the cool setting. Wait until it really starts running, and test it on part of your arm (18-20 inches away) to make sure its not too hot. Then take it and blow it on your ear, holding it a good 20 inches away from your ear. Do this for 30 seconds. Then take a dropper and drop 2-3 droplets of rubbing alcohol into each ear! Hope this helps!

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by lantere on July 10th, 2004

    lantere

    I found this helps for me.

    Let's say the right ear is full of water. Tilt your head to the right, firmly grasp and pull your right earlobe downwards, while simultaneously jumping up and down on your right leg.

    Sounds stupid and you definitely look stupid, but it works.

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Denzel Kyle_C on July 9th, 2011

    Denzel Kyle_C

    i usually jump up and down with my affected ear=)

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Sokoot on July 8th, 2010

    Sokoot

    The very old method of hopping while your ear is faced down to the ground works for me most of the time.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by kittykat13 on July 8th, 2010

    kittykat13

    what i usually do is tilt my head so that the ear with the water in it is facing down and then jump up and down. it usually woks but you have to make sure that you do it as soon as you can cause if you wait, its harder to get it out with this method.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Andy_Z on August 31st, 2010

    Andy_Z

    jump up an down!!!!!

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by milleras on August 12th, 2010

    milleras

    try pracitice swimng and diving thats how you get water out or try shaking your ear up and down

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Madison on August 10th, 2009

    Madison

    sleep on it

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by jjj7759 on July 23rd, 2010

    jjj7759

    Well, I recently went for a swim with my cousins, which resulted in my ear being filled with the most irritating amount of water. I figured, "What the hell. It has to come out eventually, right?" Wrong. So fricking wrong. I walked around for, I swear, about 6 hours, bobbing my head to the side like a friggin' hippie. At least 10 people looked at me like "What are you smoking?"I was so pissed (because the only reason I even HAVE this waterfall in my ear is because my brother freakin' flipped me off my tube. Repeatedly.). So, after complaining about it to about every person within a 2 mile radius, I decided to go on the Internet!.........yeah. I know. I should've did that in the first place. So I spent 30 minutes of my life looking for "how to get this crappy water out of my ear". I tried about everything I could possibly think of, even hopping on one foot while bobbing my head to the side. When a relative asked what the hell I was doing, I simply replied that I had invented a new dance move. He went on to ask (with a very concerned face) if I needed to tell him anything. I told him, with a dead pan face, that I stubbed my toe on my bean bag. It took him a second, but when he realized I was playing with him, he got pissed and stormed away. His expressions throughout the entire conversation were quite enjoyable. =) So, to wrap it up, I went online for another hour of my life found another remedy in which I use equal amounts of white vinegar and isopropyl alcohol drop one or two drops in my ear and then (again) lean my ear to the side wait (once again) for the water to slowly drip out (which it did.). So there now your ear will be water free and you won't feel like your experiencing Niagra Falls in your ear! (which, let me tell you, is EXTREMELY irritating. As are morons who flip you out of the safety of your tube.) :]

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by chapeauetbarbe on August 10th, 2009

    chapeauetbarbe

    yawn.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by joesomebody on December 5th, 2007

    joesomebody

    do NOT use just rubbing alcohol to remove water from your ear!! rubbing alcohol does not contain glycerin which keeps your ear drum from drying out!! if your ear drum gets too dry and begins to crack..you go def!! only use a product that is designed and approved to remove water from you ear canal like "swimmers ear"...stupid people! you could really get someone hurt puttin bs advice on this post!!!

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by khammer on December 5th, 2007

    khammer

    Simple really. Just get ear drops. I forget the name to loosen then wax. Then you get a thing that looks like a turkey baster (but smaller) I think it's actually used to clean a babies bottom and squeeze the water in threw your ear really hard and the wax comes right out. Thats the same thing they will do at the doctors.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Anonymous on June 3rd, 2008

    Anonymous

    tilt your head to the side
    and than then swish the water from side to side and immediatly lay on the infected ear for about 2 or 3 minutes then the water will come out keep lying there and dont move until the all the water is completely out of the ear

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by sillysammie on June 9th, 2008

    sillysammie

    if these wonderful ways dont work u can always try ear candling... search it online.. it could be u have a large amount of wax bild up in ur ear as it is so it is holding the water in... i am in school to be an esthetician... we learned about this a few weeks ago u would be suprised how much could reall be in ur ears

    2 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by FancyFeast on November 30th, 2007

    FancyFeast

    I go with a dry Q tip and it will absorb the wetness. Don't push too far, just put it there, rub a little... use 3-4 Q tips if needed... If shaking while tilting doesn't do, that's what I do :) painless and ... you can wash your ears at the same time :)

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by anglrckx on July 14th, 2007

    anglrckx

    everyone gave great advice. all of the remedies work. even if you just lay down on the affected ear it will eventually drain out, but the alcohol and vinegar mix works

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by llene13 on May 29th, 2006

    llene13

    equal parts vinegar water and rubbing alcohol put drops of this in ear, the alcohol dissipates the water in the ear its also referred to as swim ear which you can buy already mixed at the pharmacy

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by gmc4300 on June 22nd, 2006

    gmc4300

    take 2 suddefed b4 bed and when u wake up the water should have cleard itself out

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by lizvelrene on August 17th, 2006

    lizvelrene

    Also there is a product called Auro-Dri that is especially for this purpose of relieving water-clogged ears. You can find it in most drugstores. It consists mostly of isopropyl alcohol, which is the main ingredient of some types of rubbing alcohol but in a higher concentration.

    Be sure and read the package warnings (i.e. don't use it if you have a damaged eardrum etc).

    There are some other products with almost identical ingredients like Swim-Ear. Auro-Dri is the one I've tried and it has always worked for me.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by dirt man in a bottle on June 11th, 2008

    dirt man in a bottle

    tilt the affective ear faced down and jump and shake your ear till it comes out.

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by james the first on June 12th, 2008

    james the first

    This is advise given to me by an ENT specialist.
    First don't stick a qtip in the ear. Often the problem is because there is some wax in the way that will keep it from draining. He suggested using a wick made of cleanex. Twist some cleanex into a tapering point and slip that into the ear with a slight rotation. It will collapse when it hits the water and is not strong enough to hurt the canal or ear drum.
    Then to remove the rest of the water, fill the ear canal with alcohol, massage the ear a bit and then let it drain out. It will evaporate rapidly on its own.
    The cleanex wick works well on me and removes some of the wax.
    He recommended this also for swimmers ear which is an infection caused by the ear staying wet to long. This method gets the ear canal as dry as possible.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by ralph161969 on June 17th, 2010

    ralph161969

    i have water in my ear i've tried ear drop, jumping up and down nothing seems to work, now its going on three days

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Jimboo on July 7th, 2009

    Jimboo

    sit down and cry with all the hippies and hobos =)

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Miranda Harris on July 8th, 2004

    Miranda Harris

    I have 2 sons and both of them have had what some people call swimmers ear,which is basically just water in your ear.We tried all diffrent kinds of things,that did not work,but the Dr. finally got it cleared up.And he told us to start putting a few drops of plain rubbing alcohol in the ear to dry out the water after they have been in water for a while.I have not had to try this yet,so I am not for certain that it works.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Spacys back on August 10th, 2009

    Spacys back

    you jump up and down on one leg +5

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by burritoeatr127 on June 29th, 2009

    burritoeatr127

    OK HERES WHAT I DID!!!
    this works!
    ok first get some gum and start chewing it. the gum helps loosen your ear muscles.
    next you take a straw and a cup. fill the cup with tap water (NOT CHLORINE WATER OR ALCHOHOL) then take the straw and suck some water up in the straw and cover the top with your finger so theres some water in the straw that wont leak out.
    next hold it up to your ear with water stuck in it and let go of the straw so all the water pours in your ear.
    wait a couple seconds then tilt your head back to a regular position. if it feels like theres more water in your ear and like you cant hear stuff only the water in the one ear then it worked. if it feels the same then try again. if it worked, tilt your head the direction of the ear with the water in it (ie. if the water was in your left ear then tilt your head left) make your ear paralell to the floor. then shake your head down (like the guys from that pepsi max commercial) and the water will come right out your ear! its maaaaaaaaaaaaaaagic!

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Anonymous on May 10th, 2009

    Anonymous

    This works!!!!

    Tilting your head and rocking the head back & forth and side to side

    In that order!!!

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Mumsy 1 on June 14th, 2008

    Mumsy 1

    It really isn't water you want to get out of your ear BUT a build up of ear wax that is trapping some of the water. This went on for days for me until I bought one of the ear syringes and drops at the local pharmacy. Put a few drops in your ear and then a few drops on a cotton ball and put the cotton ball in your ear. Leave it for 2 hours or a bit more. Then use warm water and the ear syringe. Make sure you tilt your head and let the water that comes out of your ear drip into a container. Do this about 3 times and see what comes out of your ear....you'll be amazed and will be able to hear clearly and won't have that water/plugged up feeling.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

Want to attach an image to your answer? Click here.

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

You're reading How do you get water out of an ear? - which can also be phrased in the following ways:

  • What's the best way to get water out of your ear, without giving yourself whiplash?
  • How can I get the water out of my ear? I've tried everything!
  • How do you get water out of your ears?

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

ANSWERBAG BUZZ

How to get water out of your ear
How to get water out of ear
Water in ear remedy
How do you get water out of your ear
How to get water out of your ears

Answerbag

a Demand Media company