Is chlorine bad for my ears?

For most people, no. The chlorine used in well-maintained swimming pools, either at home or at your local leisure centre, usually isn’t strong enough to harm your ears.

However, if you or your children are regularly swimming in chlorinated pools, you may find that it dries out your earwax. Earwax plays an important role in protecting your ears and helping to keep the ear canal healthy. If it becomes too dry, it may be less able to move out of the ear naturally, which can sometimes contribute to wax build-up or trap water in the ear canal.

Water that’s trapped in the ear can increase the risk of irritation or infection in some people, particularly those who swim frequently or have a history of grommets, eardrum perforations, “swimmer’s ear” or other infections and problems of the ear canal/middle ear.

If you regularly experience blocked ears or recurrent ear infections after swimming, it’s worth seeing an audiologist or hearing health professional who will be able to provide personalised support and solutions to suit your individual needs.

Browse our Swimming & Surfing Ear Care articles for more advice on protecting your ears in and around the water.