The European Commission has a new plan to fight against plastic contamination, in which it suggests banning various products, one of which is the cotton ear bud (also known as the Q-tip).
It is true, that ear buds are one of the worst waste plastics when it comes to contaminating our oceans.
As a result, today we would like to share with you some of the alternatives to cotton buds for cleaning your ears:
- The first alternative to using cotton ear buds is simply to stop using them, even though this may sound obvious. It is not actually really necessary to clean your ear canal, and in fact it can even be harmful and dangerous. Hence, cotton buds are single use plastic products that are completely avoidable.
- The second alternative to cotton ear buds is your finger. Did you know that the little finger is also known as the ear (auditory) finger? It is recommended to clean the ear passagewith your finger when you get out of the bath or the shower, this way you can make the most of our moist ears with the help of a washable organic cotton wipe or cloth. This is more than enough to keep your ears clean and healthy.
- For the people who need a more thorough clean, and for those who prefer not to use their finger, we suggest you use Oriculi: a zero waste, reusable alternative to plastic cotton buds. With its spoon shaped end, the Oriculi allows you to conscientiously clean the entrance to the ear canal (we should only ever clean the external part of our ears). It is made from bamboo, is washable and reusable.
See, those cotton buds are one of the easiest plastic waste products to eliminate, the planet and your ears will thank you!
