In memory of Chaya Mirel bat R’ Avraham

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In memory of Chaya Mirel bat R' Avraham

Ear wax and mikveh
July 24, 2025

Question

Hi! I went to mikva last night and made sure to clean the opening of my ear canal and the beginning of it. This morning my ear was very itchy and I took a q-tip and went a little deeper than I did last night and I saw more wax on it. Is this a problem?

Answer

Thank you for reaching out to us.

Ear wax outside the ear canal, or at the opening of the ear canal, is a chatzitzah, but ear wax inside the canal is not. Therefore, the wax that you found this morning does not affect the validity of your immersion.

Medically, it is not recommended to insert a Q-tip, or anything else, inside the ear canal. When preparing for mikveh (and in general), it is sufficient to clean just at the opening of the ear canal.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

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