 clean the outside with cotton balls or Kleenex and then hopefully loosen things for the next time. But I would generally maybe use that only on a weekly or every other week basis because you can really overstimulate those oil glands in the ear. But that's kind of always my thing. I always want to get a sample of goo, wax, pus, whatever it might be because it really does lead us down different pathways in how we can help our pets.