Managing scuba ear problems (not equalizing)

[DandyDon]

Alcohol and anhydrous glycerine, yes.

Again, yes, when I have water in my ears. BTW, vodka is only about 40% alcohol; it's not that great a drying agent.

Oh yeah, glycerine. I keep a bottle handy and squirt some in my mix to help prevent ear burns from the alcohol. Yeah, 80 proof is about 40%, but better than nothing. I actually mix equal parts white vinegar 4% and alcohol 50% which yields only about 25% alcohol after adding glycerine, but it works well.

 

[ggunn]

Oh yeah, glycerine. I keep a bottle handy and squirt some in my mix to help prevent ear burns from the alcohol. Yeah, 80 proof is about 40%, but better than nothing. I actually mix equal parts white vinegar 4% and alcohol 50% which yields only about 25% alcohol after adding glycerine, but it works well.

Whatever works for you, I guess, but with your mixture and with vodka the alcohol is going to evaporate and leave everything else. The vodka will leave you with more water than you started with.

 

[DandyDon]

I think that I might use 95% alcohol in the next mix and hope it doesn't burn my ears.

 

[ggunn]

I think that I might use 95% alcohol in the next mix and hope it doesn't burn my ears.

FWIW, Swim Ear is 95% isopropyl alcohol and 5% anhydrous glycerine.

 

[RayfromTX]

The best way to avoid wax build up is to dive every day for 3-4 hours. I've had no wax build up since Christmas. I leave my ear wax in the sea.

 

[Centrals]

What is the function of glycerol(glycerine) in this case?
Vinegar(acetic acid) kills germ.

Alcohol/vinegar vs alcohol/glycerol.

 

[DandyDon]

What is the function of glycerol(glycerine) in this case?
Vinegar(acetic acid) kills germ.

Alcohol/vinegar vs alcohol/glycerol.

I think that glycerin is used to take the sting out of the alcohol on sensitive skin in and around the ear canal, but I'm guessing. Vinegar is not used in the store bottle mix as it has a short shelf life.

 

[tridacna]

What is the function of glycerol(glycerine) in this case?
Vinegar(acetic acid) kills germ.

Alcohol/vinegar vs alcohol/glycerol.

http://www.rothschilddesign.com/ear_scuba/

 

[doctormike]

From @doctormike

Someone should make this a sticky.

http://www.rothschilddesign.com/ear_scuba/

Here's the updated version!

 

[doctormike]

I also just replaced the original link with a redirect, so both should work.

The glycerine is meant to avoid overdrying. You really don't need a lot of vinegar at all, all it takes are a few tablespoons in a pint of alcohol to drop the pH enough to kill pseudomonas. You want as little water in the solution as possible, which is why to use more alcohol than vinegar (which is almost all water).