Herbal Ear Oil...

​Every winter I mix up a fresh batch of ear oil just in case one of us happens to come down with a case of otitis. Ear pain is miserable, and it's worth it to keep this easy remedy on hand. It's very simple to make. I include garlic, mullein, calendula and St John's wort oil in my recipe. If you're lacking all those herbs, you can make an effective ear oil with simply garlic and mullein (and even just garlic).
Herbal Ear Oil
2 TBSP chopped garlic
2 TBSP calendula (dry)
2 TBSP mullein (dry, though wilted is acceptable)
2 TBSP St John's wort oil (made ahead with fresh herb)
Olive oil
Put the herbs and St John's wort oil in a 250 ml jar. Add olive oil to the top of the jar (see the 2nd pic? That's not enough. The 3rd pic? That's the stuff, right there.). 

​Cap it. Label it. Place it in a warm, sunny spot for a minimum of 2 weeks, shaking it every day. Keep an eye that mold doesn't form in the jar. This can happen if the herbs were not dried or stored properly. If that happens, chuck it. At the end of the 2 weeks, strain it and bottle it. A dropper bottle will make it easier to dispense it.
To use, warm the oil until it's at body temperature. Test it to be sure it isn't hot....earaches are bad enough without a burn! Put 2 or 3 drops into the ear canal, treating both ears as infections can 'travel'. Use 2 to 3 times daily as needed. You may want to clean out the oil every so often with a couple drops of topical hydrogen peroxide.
Ear oil is NOT to be used for swimmer's ear or if the ear drum has been perforated. If in doubt or if the ear pain persists or worsens, see your doctor.