Blockage of the outer ear canal due to an accumulation of ear wax is one of the most prevalent causes of temporary hearing loss. If you are rather confident that ear wax is the source of your short-term hearing loss, you almost certainly want to clean your ears. Although this is a normal desire, it is crucial to understand how to clean your ears safely, without causing hearing or ear canal damage.To stress health and safety when cleaning your ears, let’s start with what not to do. Avoid using cotton swabs or any other foreign objects that you insert into your ears, as they may cause the ear wax to become even more compacted. Never, use any gadget that sprays water under pressure. The pressurized water stream can perforate your eardrum. Lastly, if you know that you have a ruptured eardrum, leave cleaning your ears to a hearing specialist. The same holds true if you suspect you have an ear infection. Signs and symptoms of ear infections include fever, vomiting or diarrhea, ear pain and fluid draining from the ears.Cleaning your ears properly in your own home can be done with syringe or bulb and a rinse solution from the local pharmacy. You can purchase a carbamide peroxide solution at the local drugstore, or make your own using equal parts of glycerin, mineral oil and 3 to 4 percent.To use the solution, carefully squeeze the solution into the ear using the bulb or syringe. It generally works best to lay down on your side with a towel available to catch drips. Try to avoid touching the ear with the bulb if you can. Allow the carbamide peroxide solution to linger in your ear for a couple of minutes and then repeat for the other side.The solution will loosen and soften the built up wax so that it can be rinsed out. Use lukewarm water to wash each ear and towel dry. Again, do not insert anything into the ear while drying. If the blockage continues, repeat this process of cleaning your ears twice a day for 2 or 3 days. If the problem continues any longer, call your an audiologist or hearing specialist.