Make sure that there is water in your ears. This can easily be checked by slightly tapping your temple with your wrist. You will feel very uneasy if water is stagnant in your ear.
1. Drain the ear. Wipe your outer ear slowly and gently with a soft towel or cloth, then tilt your head to one side to help the water drain out of your ear canal.
2. To find the right angle, move your head back and forth as you tilt it. It may even help to tug on the earlobe in order to open the canal wider.
3. An alternate method is to stand on one foot and tilt your head so the offending ear faces the ground. Hop on one foot until the water drains
4. Another method is to lie down on your side with the ear facing down. Gravity may cause the ear to drain naturally.
5. Pretend you are gnawing on some food to move the jawbones around your ears. Tilt your head to the side that doesn’t have water in it, then quickly tilt your head to the other side.
6. Blow-dry the ear. Put a hair dryer on the lowest setting, hold it at least 1 foot/3 meters away from your head, and blow into the ear.
7. Alternatively, blow the warm air across opening of the ear instead of into it. Whenever warm, dry air passes over water, it pulls away water vapour.
8. Make an ear drop solution of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part rubbing alcohol. In addition to promoting drying, this will discourage infection. Drop carefully and pour 5mL into the affected ear, then drain out using the suggestions above. The acid in this mixture acts to break down the cerumen (earwax) that maybe holding in some water in the ear canal, while the alcohol dries quickly and takes the water with it. Do not do this if you have a punctured eardrum.
9. Create a vacuum in your ear. Face affected ear down and then with your palm, push in and out until water begins to come out. Don’t do this with the ear facing upwards or you may drive it farther back into the canal.
10. Alternatively, tilt your ear down, place your finger in it, and make a vacuum with your finger by pushing and pulling rapidly. In a moment the water should come out of your ear very quickly. Note that this is not the preferred method, as scratching your ear canal can cause infection.
