this post was submitted on 18 Sep 2025
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[–] EpeeGnome@feddit.online 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

They were specifically invented to clean ears, but we now know it's not safe to use them to clean ears. So we added a warning on the package about the danger of using them to clean ears, and continued to sell them to people, most of whom who are definitely still going to use them to clean their ears. Why? Because, aside from the inherent danger of permanent hearing damage, they really are an effective tool for the job.

[–] glimse@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I never understood why it was such a danger, you only clean the "side" of the ear canal. Are people shoving qtips with full force until it hits something? Do they not feel the pressure before the pain when touching their eardrums?

[–] MeatPilot@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

I think there is something about pushing wax or gunk deeper in your ear and causing infections? Is there an ENT in the house?

Sometimes I think it's easier to warn people of it's rare than get sued because you didn't warn them at all. "Here's a box of 1,000 swabs the perfect size for an ear canal and never would need purchased in this amount of not used in your ears regularly. However don't put these swabs in your ear though! 😉."

[–] dumbass@aussie.zone 3 points 3 weeks ago

I have this one particular spot in my ear canal that itches like a mother fucker, if I stick a baby gay on it and roll it around, it stops the itch.