Camping Genius: Swimmer's Ear Protection

Lone Star Camp Waterfront circa 1966

One of the hazards of taking a youth group on an outing to the lake is the risk of kids contracting swimmer's ear. Here's a simple solution to help prevent it that is inexpensive and easy to use.

Simply bring along dropper bottles of a homemade solution of Boric Acid and isopropyl alcohol. You can get the bottles and the ingredients at any pharmacy. You can make it up yourself and it really does work.

I got the recipe from Bud Bradley, the East Texas Director of Water Safety Services for the American Red Cross back in the 70s. We used it at Lone Star Camp for years. Every kid leaving the swimming area had to go through a gate where two lifeguards waited armed with bottles of the stuff.

Two or three drops in each ear worked quite well. The boric acid creates the proper pH balance in the ears to prevent certain germs and fungi from growing.

Click on this link for the formula and directions for making it and using it.