Tilt your head so the affected ear faces the ground. Hop on one foot. Seriously. The gentle bouncing often breaks the water's surface tension and lets it drip out.
Poking around in there is the number one way to push the water deeper, scratch the delicate skin, or even cause an infection.
Tilt your head sideways, cup your palm tightly over your ear, then push it in and out rapidly to create a small vacuum. The pressure change can pull the water loose.
When water gets past the natural oils and hairs in your outer ear canal, surface tension can act like a suction cup, sealing the liquid against the skin. It just refuses to leave.
If the feeling lasts more than 2-3 days, if you notice pain, discharge, or muffled hearing, you might have "swimmer's ear" (an infection) or a plug of wax that swelled up from the water. A doctor can fix that in minutes.
You just had a great swim or a relaxing shower. You dry off, go about your day... and then you feel it. That swish . That sloshing . That feeling of a tiny, stubborn ocean trapped deep in your ear canal.
Instead, try one of these safe, effective methods: