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How to Clean Your Dog's Ears

By the Dog Health Handbook team · Updated · Fact-checked against current veterinary references (see sources)

Key takeaways

  • Most dogs with healthy ears don't need routine cleaning.
  • Use a dog ear cleaner your vet recommends, fill the canal, massage the base, then let your dog shake.
  • Don't push cotton swabs into the canal; wipe only the parts you can see.
  • Avoid hydrogen peroxide, alcohol on sore ears and homemade mixes.
  • A red, painful or smelly ear needs a vet before any cleaning.

Table of Contents

Research How often Choosing a cleaner Step by step What to avoid When to see a vet FAQ Sources

Dog Ear QuickLinks

Overview Ear Anatomy Infections Yeast Ear Mites Scratching Swelling Ear Hematoma Head Shaking Ear Cleaning Treatment

Most dogs with healthy ears don't need routine ear cleaning. A little wax is normal and helps keep the ear clean, because the ear canal cleans itself by slowly moving wax and debris outward.1,2,3 Clean your dog's ears only when you see wax build-up or dirt, or on a schedule your vet sets for dogs with allergies or past infections.2,4,5 Use a dog ear cleaner your vet recommends: fill the canal, massage the base, let your dog shake, and wipe away what you can see.4,2,6 Never clean a red, painful or smelly ear before a vet has checked it.4,2

Don't clean the ear, and see your vet, if:

  • The ear is red, swollen, hot or painful, or your dog pulls away or cries when you touch it4,1
  • There's a bad smell, pus or blood2,7
  • Your dog has a head tilt, poor balance or flicking eyes, which can mean a middle ear problem or a torn ear drum5,8,9
  • Your dog becomes unsteady, tilts their head or seems not to hear after a cleaning. Stop cleaning and call your vet.5,9

What the Research Says

  • The ear cleans itself. Skin cells on the ear drum and canal move outward, carrying wax, debris and germs. Inflammation, ear drum damage and aging slow this down.3,10,11
  • Over-cleaning can backfire. Too much cleaning can leave the canal soggy and stop the self-cleaning process from recovering.10,1
  • Ear cleaners differ a lot. In a lab study, the ability of commercial ear cleaners to kill germs varied widely, and three had none at any strength.12
  • Old bottles can grow bacteria. In one study, about 12% of ear cleaner bottles in use at home were contaminated, mostly at the tip, more often in expired solutions and large bottles.13 A dermatology specialist advises using home ear cleaner no more than 3 months old.3

How Often to Clean Your Dog's Ears

  • Healthy ears: check them weekly. Clean only if you see wax build-up or dirt. Many dogs never need it.2,1
  • Dogs with allergies or past ear infections: your vet may advise routine cleaning, for example once or twice a week or every 2 weeks.5,1,4
  • Swimmers and floppy-eared dogs: dry the ears after swimming or bathing. Your vet may suggest a drying cleaner.14,6,5
  • During treatment for an infection: follow your vet's schedule, which may be more often at first.5,15

Breeds with lots of wax, long or hairy canals, or ear folds, such as Cocker Spaniels, Basset Hounds, Poodles and English Bulldogs, may need checking more often.1,16

Choosing a Dog Ear Cleaner

Use a cleaner made for dogs, ideally one your vet recommends for your dog's ears.4,2,6 Ear cleaners fall into a few groups:17,5,18

  • Wax-dissolving (ceruminolytic) cleaners break up thick, waxy build-up.5,15 They can irritate sore ears.3
  • Drying (astringent) cleaners help dogs that swim or have damp ears. Their alcohol and acid ingredients can sting inflamed ears.5,17,19
  • Antiseptic cleaners help control bacteria and yeast in infection-prone ears.17,3
  • Gentle saline-type cleaners are used when the ear drum may be damaged, because many cleaner ingredients can harm hearing if they reach the middle ear.5,8

A pleasant smell and a neutral pH (less sting) make cleaning easier for your dog.5 A vet should look at the ear drum before recommending a cleaner for a dog with ear disease.8,5

How to Clean Your Dog's Ears Step by Step

  1. Get ready. Have the ear cleaner, cotton balls or gauze, a towel and treats on hand. Sit a large dog with their rear in a corner, hold a medium dog between your legs, or hold a small dog on your lap.4
  2. Lift the ear flap straight up to straighten the canal.4
  3. Fill the canal with cleaner without putting the bottle tip into the ear. Some dogs accept a cotton ball soaked in cleaner and squeezed at the canal opening better.4,5
  4. Massage the base of the ear for about 30 seconds. You should hear a squishing sound.4,2
  5. Let your dog shake their head. Hold a towel up to protect yourself.4,2
  6. Wipe out loosened wax from the inner ear flap and the opening of the canal with a cotton ball or gauze, no deeper than your finger reaches.4,2
  7. Reward your dog and repeat on the other ear if needed. Stop if your dog seems in pain, or if you see blood.4,5

If your dog also gets ear medicine, clean first and ask your vet how long to wait before giving the medicine, because some cleaners can weaken it.4

What Not to Put in Your Dog's Ears

  • Cotton swabs or anything pointed. They can push wax deeper or damage the ear drum.4,6,2
  • Hydrogen peroxide. It can irritate the canal.2,4,20
  • Rubbing alcohol on sore or inflamed ears.4,20,19
  • Essential oils and homemade mixes.20,2
  • Kitchen vinegar, unless your vet recommends it. Some dermatologists use diluted vinegar in certain cases, but home vinegar mixes can make swelling and infection worse, and acids sting inflamed ears.6,5,21,17
  • Powders or over-the-counter wax removers without your vet's approval.6,5

Should you pluck ear hair?

Only if it's causing a problem. Ear hair shouldn't be removed routinely if it's not causing trouble, because plucking can inflame the canal. Ask your vet first.5,6 There's little research on whether plucking helps, and specialists say it depends on the dog.22,23 Groomers shouldn't put products into ears they can't examine.23

When Cleaning Isn't Enough

Cleaning doesn't treat infection or allergy. If your dog keeps shaking their head or scratching, or the wax keeps coming back quickly, there's usually an underlying cause, most often allergy.19,14 Your vet will look in the ear with an otoscope, check the ear drum, take a sample to look at under the microscope, and clean very dirty or painful ears under anesthesia if needed.15,3

See dog ear infections, dog scratching ears and dog ear problems and care.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I clean my dog's ears?

Only when you see wax build-up or dirt, unless your vet sets a routine for a dog with ear problems.

Can I use hydrogen peroxide to clean my dog's ears?

No. It can irritate the ear. Use a dog ear cleaner your vet recommends.

Is vinegar safe for dog ears?

Don't use it unless your vet recommends it. It stings inflamed ears and isn't a substitute for a diagnosis.

Can I use cotton swabs on my dog's ears?

Not inside the canal. Wipe only the parts you can see with a cotton ball or gauze.

What do vets use to clean dog ears?

Wax-dissolving, drying or antiseptic ear cleaners, chosen for the type of discharge and after checking the ear drum.

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Sources and further reading

This article was rewritten and fact-checked on October 28, 2026 against current veterinary references and specialist guidelines:

  1. Wooten S. What is normal earwax for pets? PetMD, January 2018.
  2. Burke A. How to clean your dog's ears. American Kennel Club, 2026.
  3. Paterson S. Ear cleaning: what to use and how to use it. SEVC Annual Conference, 2015. Conference proceedings hosted by IVIS.
  4. Weir M, Panning A. Instructions for ear cleaning in dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals, August 2025.
  5. Hoff S. Otitis externa in animals. Merck Veterinary Manual, April 2026.
  6. Roman N. Ear Infections and Otitis Externa in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual (pet owner version), reviewed April 2026.
  7. Wedgewood Pharmacy, with Ward E. What it means if your dog has brown ear discharge. Wedgewood Pharmacy blog (veterinary pharmacy), May 2024.
  8. Müller R. Ear flushes in veterinary practice. SEVC Annual Conference, 2007. Conference proceedings hosted by IVIS.
  9. ter Haar G. The importance of ototoxicity. WSAVA World Congress Proceedings, 2003 (hosted by VIN).
  10. Patel A. Otitis externa in dogs. Veterinary Ireland Journal (Focus), July 2020.
  11. Oh J, Bae S. A topical antibiotic ear solution delays tympanic membrane epithelial migration in healthy dogs. Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 2026 (title shortened to the drug class).
  12. Swinney A, Fazakerley J, McEwan N, Nuttall T. Comparative in vitro antimicrobial efficacy of commercial ear cleaners. Veterinary Dermatology, 2008.
  13. Cain CL. Journal club: focus on otitis. Today's Veterinary Practice, 2013 (summarizing Steen and Paterson 2012 and Bartlett et al. 2011).
  14. Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center. Itchy ear problems.
  15. Paterson S. A rational approach to otitis externa in the dog. SEVC Annual Conference, 2015. Conference proceedings hosted by IVIS.
  16. O'Neill DG, Volk AV, Soares T, Church DB, Brodbelt DC, Pegram C. Frequency and predisposing factors for canine otitis externa in the UK: a primary veterinary care epidemiological view. Canine Medicine and Genetics, 2021 (VetCompass study).
  17. Koch S. Ear cleaners for use in patients with chronic otitis (clinic resource). Today's Veterinary Practice, 2017.
  18. De Bellis F. Management and treatment of otitis externa and media. Vet Times, January 2015.
  19. Nuttall T. Managing recurrent otitis externa in dogs: what have we learned and what can we do better? Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2023.
  20. DeJaynes J. How to clean your dog's ears. PetMD, 2023.
  21. Gentry C. Don't fear the yucky ear! VMX 2025 conference notes (industry-sponsored).
  22. dvm360. Otitis quandary: to pluck or not to pluck hair in the ear? dvm360, September 2018.
  23. Faver C. To pluck or not to pluck? Groomer to Groomer, July 2024.

About this article

Last updated : fully rewritten using the Merck Veterinary Manual, VCA, the AKC, PetMD, Today's Veterinary Practice, IVIS proceedings and studies published 2008 to 2026; added the research summary, cleaning frequency, cleaner types, step-by-step instructions, what to avoid, key takeaways and FAQ.

This page is for general information and is not a substitute for an exam by your veterinarian.