Cleaning a Toddler's Ear?

The doc told me to put the ear drops in, that clean them out, then to use a q-tip with alcohol to clean the outsides of the ears.

Yes. It's okay to use a damp swab in the outer bell of the ear. You just don't want to shove it down in the ear canal, as it can compact the wax inside, and make it harder to clear. Earwax is liquid-soluble, so using a bit of ear wash can be really helpful, too. Or, if the toddler will lay still for 10 minutes at a time, try an ear candle (from the health-food store)... my kids love them! They use convection to melt and lift wax out of the ear canal.

Using a washcloth and some warm water should be enough. I wouldn't use peroxide, but maybe a little mineral oil plus a cotton ball (not q-tips) would work to get the stuff a washcloth doesn't quite reach?

no!!!

the safest and most effective way to clean ears is with audi-clean, which is something you can purchase at the pharmacy. it cleans the ears using a special formulated solution.

dont use chemicals on the outside either, it can irritate the ears and cause an infection.

trust me, my ears were cleaned with a qtip when i was very young and consequently i suffered from hearing problems and infections for years after that, and i was in pain a lot!

you only need to use a soft, wet towel and wipe away the ear wax. then just dry it with another towel or a cloth. using any chemicals other than plain soap or hand sanitizer seem unsafe. hydrogen peroxide may be too strong.

I use a q-tip on my son's ears... Just as long as he doesn't jerk everything should be fine... I have never used peroxide on his ears though...