Hearing loss can happen to anyone. Do not wait until it’s too late to start taking care of your ears. Here are some easy ways to protect your ears and your hearing health.

1. Use earplugs around the loud noises.

Clubs, concerts, lawnmowers, chainsaws, and any other noises that force you to shout so the person next to you can hear your voice all create dangerous levels of sound. Use earplugs to avoid damage to your ears.

2. Do not listen to music too loud.

According to the World Health Organization, 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults worldwide are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss from unsafe use of audio devices. If you like to enjoy music through headphones or earbuds, you can protect your ears by following the 60/60 rule. The suggestion is to listen with headphones at no more than 60% volume for no more than 60 minutes a day.

Don’t forget that any loud music, not just music played through headphones, presents a risk for noise-induced hearing loss. If you’re hosting a social event, keep the music at a volume which won’t force people to shout in order to hold a conversation.

3. Give time for your ears to rest.

If you are exposed to loud noises for a prolonged period of time, like at a concert or a bar, your ears need time to recover. If you can, avoid the loud noises for five minutes in order to let them rest.

What’s more, researchers have found that your ears need an average of 16 hours of quiet to recover from one loud night out.

4. Avoid using cotton bud to clean ear wax.

It’s common for people to use cotton swabs to clean wax out of their ear canal, but this is definitely not advisable. A little bit of wax in your ears is not only normal, but it’s also important. The ears are self-cleaning organs, and wax stops dust and other harmful particles from entering the canal. Plus, inserting anything inside your ear canals risks damaging sensitive organs like your ear drum. If you have excess wax, you can clean around the canal with a damp towel—gently.

Ears are as important as all the senses we have. Before you get a hearing loss, it’s better to prevent it by following the tips above, right?