DIY Natural Ear Infection Drops for Kids

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Last Updated on March 1, 2025 by Kiersten

Easy home remedy oil for earaches to get fast, effective ear pain relief in babies, kids, and adults.

The days are getting shorter, and the weather is getting colder. That means it’s time to restock my cabinet with everything I need to be prepared for seasonal ailments from September to April.

If you’ve ever dealt with an ear infection, you know how miserable it can be—kids in pain, disrupted sleep, and the endless internal debate over whether to go to the doctor.

As a mom of littles and a nurse with extensive infectious disease experience, I cannot tell you everything, but I CAN tell you this:

• Most earaches/pains/”infections” are not bacterial, which means antibiotics won’t do a thing for 80% of cases. Read more here from Harvard about updated guidelines for treatment.
• Doctors and pharmacies no longer allow prescription ear drops in many states due to so-called “overuse and abuse,” leaving parents like me with little to no commercial options aside from taking pink amoxicillin.
• Systemic antibiotics don’t make sense when a topical treatment in the actual ear canal is what’s needed.

Ear Drops Alone Are More Effective Than Antibiotics

I am a stubborn cookie when it comes to research and I consider it a strong hobby over the last decade or so.

The following is an excerpt from the Results portion of a study that compared natural herbal ear drops vs oral amoxicillin combined with prescription-strength ear drops in children.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery guidelines recommend topical medications as the first line of treatment for ear pain in the absence of systemic infection or serious underlying disease. Because no evidence was found that systemic antibiotics alone improved treatment outcome, if antibiotics do not change the natural course of otitis media, then the main goal of treatment, as in the present study, should be to alleviate the ear pain. The alternative, naturopathic herbal extract medications, may offer many new possibilities in the management of ear pain associated with acute otitis media.

Naturopathic Treatment for Ear Pain in Children

The natural herbal extract ear drops contained garlic, mullein, calendula, St. John’s Wort, lavender, and vitamin E in olive oil.

Nurse-Approved Remedy

I’ve seen firsthand how antibiotic overuse has led to resistant infections, especially in immune-compromised patients – a major issue in infectious disease and oncology care. That’s why I’m a HUGE advocate for using the right treatment at the right time.

These DIY natural ear infection drops are made with natural, evidence-backed ingredients that help reduce pain, fight infection, and speed up healing—without unnecessary medications.

Why I Trust This Method as a Nurse & Mom

In our home, we’ve never had to resort to antibiotics for an ear infection because we treat them right from the start.

Instead of masking symptoms with meds that don’t address the root cause, these natural ear drops help manage pain, reduce inflammation, and support the body’s healing process.

Warm Ear Oil

“Warm ear oil,” as my Oma would say, is a traditional home remedy relied on by mothers and midwives dating back hundreds of years.

The most common home remedy for ear infections is garlic oil.

Garlic is an excellent natural home remedy ingredient in a variety of applications due to its antimicrobial attributes.

While I do make and use garlic oil often, I don’t believe it’s strong enough by itself to properly treat an ear infection if no other ingredients are added.

That being said…if you’re in a pinch and need fast relief now, infuse the garlic. It’s better than nothing and really does reduce discomfort. If you have the required essential oils on hand, even better.

Whatever ingredients you have is better than doing nothing at all.

If you do have time to plan ahead, make a batch of these high-potency ear infection drops and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

Unlike Pharmaceuticals, Herbs and Oils Work Better Together

When working with natural home remedies, herbs, and essential oils, you will rarely find any ingredient used by itself, as with garlic oil.

Herbs and essential oils applied for therapeutic use in medicine work much better when combined to produce a synergistic effect.

These DIY natural ear infection drops for kids take the best properties of several antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic herbs and oils to produce the most effective treatment for ear pain relief in babies, kids, and adults.

What’s In These DIY Natural Ear Infection Drops for Kids

Everything they need and nothing we can’t pronounce.

Garlic

Garlic is a versatile ingredient used for everything from cardiovascular and respiratory ailments to group b step prevention in pregnancy to childhood ear infections. This is due to garlic’s antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Garlic is also a wonderful immune stimulant and is found across many formulas in herbalism.

St. John’s Wort

Popular in the mental health realm for treating depression and anxiety, St. John’s Wort also lends itself useful as a potent topical pain reliever (anesthetic) and anti-inflammatory agent for everything from nerve pain to ear infections.

Ear oils containing St. John’s Wort commonly bring ear pain relief within 15 minutes of administration.

Black Pepper Essential Oil (piper nigrum)

Black pepper essential oil blocks the ability of sensory neurons to detect painful stimuli, therefore blocking pain. This property is referred to as “antinociceptive”.

Olive Oil

Serves as a base for herbal infusions and a carrier oil for essential oils.

Olive oil helps the essential oil adhere to body surfaces and prevents evaporation.

How to Make DIY Natural Ear Infection Drops for Kids

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons dried St. John’s Wort, cut & sifted
• 6 to 8 cloves of garlic – peeled and roughly chopped to release the allicin
• 4 ounces pure olive oil
• Black pepper essential oil

Instructions:

1. Infuse St. John’s Wort and garlic in oil (see options for slow infusion and rapid preparation below).
2. Strain the herb matter out of the infused oil with a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
3. Pour infused oil into a dropper bottle.
4. Add black pepper essential oil.
5. Label the bottle and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
6. Warm the oil before administering into the ear. I bring the oil to body temperature by putting the glass bottle in my bra as I do other things. It usually takes about 15 minutes and doesn’t require any extra effort.

Slow Oil Infusion VS Rapid Oil Infusion Process

The preferred way to make an ear oil is to have the herbs slowly infuse into oil over about 6 weeks. This is how the printable recipe is written – for slow infusion.

Ideally, in a perfect world, we would all have a bottle of ear oil on hand in the refrigerator ready for any occasion to strike…lol.

In reality, we forgot to label the bottle, ran out of it, forgot to make it in the first place…whatever the reason, it’s fine.

When slow infusion over 6 weeks isn’t possible and you need pain relief TODAY, here’s what you need to do.

Rapid Oil Infusion:

1. Preheat your crockpot or Instapot to the lowest possible slow cooker temperature setting. If you don’t have one, preheat your oven to the lowest setting it will allow and leave the door cracked open.
2. Add the herbs, chopped garlic, and olive oil to a glass jar.
3. If you’re using a crockpot or Instapot, add 2 to 3″ of water to the bottom of the pot and place the jar in it standing up.
4. For the oven, just place the jar on an oven-safe dish or cookie sheet.
5. Let the oil infuse over low heat for a minimum of 30 minutes but ideally, 2 hours.
6. Remove the oil from heat and strain to remove any solid particles.
7. Place the oil in a dropper bottle and add 5 drops of black pepper essential oil for every one ounce of oil.
8. Shake well and label the dropper bottle.
9. Store in the refrigerator when not in use.

Using the Oil for Ear Aches

Before any administration, warm the oil for several minutes or place the bottle into warm water until it feels warm to the touch.

I said this before, but it’s worth repeating – I bring the oil to body temperature by putting the glass bottle in my bra as I do other things. It usually takes about 15 minutes this way and doesn’t require any extra effort.

It is acceptable to leave the bottle of oil on the counter at room temperature for 3 to 4 days while therapy is in progress.

Refrigerate the remaining oil until you need it again or a maximum of 6 months – whichever comes first.

Babies and Toddlers 6 months to 2 years:

Administer 3 drops into the affected ear every 3 to 4 hours. I do this while breastfeeding then switch sides to get both ears if I need to.

Space dosages farther apart as signs of discomfort subside.

Children 2 years to 12 years:

Administer 5 drops into the affected ear every 3 to 4 hours.

Space dosages farther apart as ear pain subsides.

Children 12 years to Adults:

Administer 8 drops into the affected ear every 3 to 4 hours.

Space dosages farther apart as ear pain subsides.

More Natural Home Remedies for Kids

How to Naturally Break a Fever in Babies Without Medication

Best Cough Remedies for Babies

Constipation Home Remedies for Kids

Homemade Gripe Water for Colic

Homemade Teething Balm for Babies

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The statements made on www.naturalhomeapothecary.com have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. Please consult with your personal physician or healthcare specialist regarding any potential changes to your lifestyle or healthcare regimen.

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