Chapter 10 – Cleaning Eyes, Ears, and Nose

After a night’s sleep, babies—just like adults—may wake up with crusty eyes due to secretions accumulated during rest. A small amount of mucus in the eyes in the morning is perfectly normal. However, if the discharge is thick and abundant and the eyes appear red or sticky, it’s best to consult a pediatrician, as it may be conjunctivitis.

To clean your baby’s eyes, warm water is usually sufficient. If needed, use a soft sterile gauze soaked in saline solution or sterilized water, gently wiping from the inner to the outer corner of the eyelid. Always use a new piece of gauze for each eye.

Ears are waterproof organs and can get wet during bath time, but should not be washed internally — only the outer part should be cleaned. In fact, ears are self-cleaning.

During each bath, water and a bit of detergent help loosen and naturally remove excess earwax from the ear canal. Once bath time is over, simply rinse and gently dry the ears with a soft towel. As the child grows, while drying their hair, it’s okay to cautiously direct a bit of warm air from the hairdryer (on low) toward the ear canal to help evaporate residual moisture.

E It’s now well known that using cotton swabs is harmful: they compress earwax deeper and risk causing injury to the ear canal. Remember, earwax has important antibacterial and protective functions essential for ear health. Unfortunately, its presence is often mistaken for poor hygiene or hearing issues. It usually causes discomfort or buzzing only when overproduced or pushed deep into the canal, creating what’s known as a wax plug. In such cases, consult your pediatrician, who can examine the ear with an otoscope and, if needed, prescribe ear drops or remove the plug manually.

Now let’s move on to the nose. In the first few months, babies are obligate nasal breathers, meaning they breathe only through their nose—not their mouth, which they mainly use to feed. Therefore, the nose is not just an airway but a critical link to the ears, throat, and sinuses. Any nasal congestion can be very uncomfortable: it disrupts sleep and feeding and reduces oxygen intake to the lungs. But how do you keep a baby’s nose clear, especially since they can’t blow it themselves until around age three?

To keep a baby’s nose clean, it’s necessary to remove mucus using nasal rinses specifically designed for infants. A proper rinse involves introducing a saline solution warmed to body temperature into the nose to clean out the nasal passages and remove stagnant mucus. It clears the nose, eliminates infectious and allergenic agents, and prevents mucus from reaching the ears, tonsils, throat, pharynx, or bronchi.

How to perform a nasal rinse: First, warm the saline solution. Draw it into a syringe fitted with an anatomical nozzle. Lay the baby on a changing table or flat surface (you may swaddle them lightly to reduce movement), with their head turned to one side. Insert the nozzle into the upper nostril and gently push the solution in. The liquid will exit through the other nostril, carrying mucus with it. Then repeat on the other side, turning the baby’s head accordingly. Make sure the baby’s mouth stays open during the rinse. At the end, lift the baby upright to help drain any remaining mucus and gently wipe the nose. (10)

Sometimes nasal congestion isn’t due to infection or allergy but to dry mucosa.

The mucosa lining the upper airways has tiny cilia (microscopic vibrating hairs) that help move mucus outward. Cold, hot, or very dry air can temporarily immobilize these cilia, causing secretions to accumulate and block the nose. To maintain healthy mucosa, ensure good indoor air quality: avoid overheating rooms and place a small container of water or a damp cloth on radiators to add humidity. The ideal indoor humidity level is 50%.

Given the climate in most areas, the best way to maintain good indoor air and humidity is to frequently open windows and ventilate the home (11). If you use a humidifier in the baby’s room, be sure to clean the filters regularly to avoid the growth of bacteria or mold, which could then spread into the air. Avoid putting scented oils in the humidifier’s tank—they can be irritating.