From The New York Times:

Health 'Facts' You Only Thought You Knew

USE COTTON SWABS TO CLEAN YOUR EARS

Bellybuttons, perhaps, but not ears. My son wishes he had known this years ago, before his 2-year-old son copied his dad and punctured his eardrum with a Q-tip. The hole was so big it needed surgical repair.

Dr. Snyderman points out that a cotton swab can push wax farther into the ear, causing impaction and diminished hearing. I’ve long supported the medical adage: Put nothing smaller than an elbow in your ear. If accumulated wax is a problem, try ear wax softening drops or have your ears professionally cleaned now and then.

DANG IT!