Article: After a few treatments, fill a large bulb syringe with lukewarm water. Tilt the affected ear over the sink and press down on the bulb to flush out the ear with the bulb. You may notice little bits of ear wax coming out.  Do not do this if you are using ear drops for an ear infection. You can get a bulb syringe at a drugstore or pharmacy. The water should drain out of your ear as you flush. If it does not, stop flushing and contact a doctor. Your doctor can flush the ears for you. Do not go swimming while treating an ear infection. While showering, you can prevent water from going in your ear by plugging it with a cotton ball. Cover the outside of the ball with Vaseline. Choose a dry, dark location, such as a cabinet, to store your ear drops. Do not freeze or refrigerate the bottle unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Your ear drops should have an expiration date on the bottom of the bottle or on the label. Expired ear drops can develop bacteria that might cause a new infection.  In some cases, you may be advised to throw out the ear drops 4 weeks after opening. Write the date you opened it on the bottle with a marker to help you remember. If you used the drops to treat an ear infection, you may just want to toss the bottle after you have completed treatment to prevent reinfection.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Flush out the ear if you are using ear wax softener. Avoid getting water in your ear while being treated for an infection. Store the ear drops at room temperature. Throw the ear drops out when they have expired.