Cleaning Steps

Always wash your hands with antibacterial soap before touching newly pierced ears. This helps prevent an infection.
Examples include Dial®, Softsoap®, Cetaphil® cleansing soap- all preferably ‘scent free’.
Gently wash your piercings with a mild fragrance-free antimicrobial soap and water, hydrogen peroxide or saline (mix 1/8th teaspoon of sea salt per 8 oz of water) at least once a day.
Swab the ear lobe or cartilage with the soap, peroxide, or sea salt mixture by using a cotton swab or ball. Be sure to thoroughly rinse your piercings after washing them.
Do not touch the piercing or surrounding area otherwise.
Following the cleaning, if the area is dry or crusted, you can use petroleum jelly or Aquaphor that comes in a squeeze tube. Gently apply a thin coat around each opening with a cotton swab. You always want to use a squeeze tube because it will prevent you from transferring any germs that may be in an open jar to your piercings. The petroleum jelly will keep the piercings moist. A moist wound heals faster.
After getting a new piercing, it is normal to see some irritation or redness around the piercing site. If you notice the area is getting red, swollen, irritated or is worsening over the course of 2-4 days, you may want to increase the number of times that you are cleaning the area to 2-3 times a day.