In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Put a new speculum, or pointed end, onto your otoscope before each patient. Select the largest possible speculum that your patient’s ear will accommodate. When inserted, the speculum should fit snugly into the outer third of the ear canal. Speculums that are too small can cause discomfort and reduce how much of the ear you can examine. Use the following guidelines for speculum size:  Adults: 4 to 6 millimeters Children: 3 to 4 millimeters Infants: as small as 2 millimeters Without using the otoscope, take a look at the person’s external ear and notice any redness, discharge or swelling. Manipulate the ear gently and ask the patient if there is any pain. With Swimmer’s ear there is often pain, swelling, redness, and discharge that can be observed before even using the otoscope. Place the otoscope at your patients ear, not in it. Look into your otoscope and then slowly insert the pointed end of it into the ear canal. Steady your hand on the side of the individuals face if necessary. Slow and gentle insertion can prevent unwanted movement in your patient. It also keeps your hand and scope in line with the ear and minimizes the risk of injury. Avoid putting too much pressure on the otoscope, which can bump the inner canal wall, causing the patient discomfort. Avoid ramming the speculum into the ear canal. Insert it at most 1 to 2 centimeters and then use the light to view beyond the tip of the speculum. Stop the examination immediately if the patient expresses any pain or discomfort. Examine the middle ear and eardrum. Angle the tip of the otoscope towards the person’s nose. This follows the normal angle of the ear canal. From here, move the otoscope gently at different angles. This allows you to view the person’s eardrum and canal walls. Stop the exam at any sign of increased pain or discomfort. Return the otoscope back to your starting position. As you watch through the speculum, gentle take the speculum and scope out of the person’s ear canal and outer ear. Release the person’s ear from your grasp. Remove the speculum from the otoscope. Throw it away in a certified medical waste container to minimize the spread of disease or infection to other patients. If you don’t have disposable speculums, scrub each tip with hot water to remove excess wax. Then soak the speculum in a covered dish of rubbing alcohol for 10 minutes.
Summary: Choose the right speculum size. Examine the external ear first. Insert the otoscope slowly into the ear canal. Push the speculum 1 to 2 centimeters into the canal. Angle the otoscope. Remove the otoscope. Throw away the speculum.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Storing shoes that have dirt, dust and other residues on them could cause the material the shoes are made from to degrade over time. This is especially true for shoes made of leather or suede, but all shoes benefit from being cleaned up before you store them. Even if you’re just storing your shoes for the night, and you’re planning on wearing them again tomorrow, it’s a good idea to clean them before you put them away. Let them dry before storing.  Clean leather and suede shoes by brushing off dirt and dust with a soft, non-scratchy brush. Use a special leather or suede cleaner to remove stains. Clean canvas shoes by brushing them off, then using soapy water to clean stains. Wash plastic shoes with soap and water. If you’ve previously been throwing all your boots, heels, and running shoes in one big pile, picking out pairs as you need them, it’s time to sort your shoes. Sorting them by season and purpose will help your closet stay organized and keep your shoes in better condition than if you just toss them all together.  Group your heels and other dress shoes together. Plan to store your winter boots and other winter shoes in the same place. Group flip flops, sandals and other summer shoes together. Group your exercise shoes and casual shoes together. Shoes remain in their best condition when they’re not exposed to lots of sunlight or hot or cold temperatures. The best place to store shoes is in a cool, dark closet that doesn’t get excessively warm and stuffy. If you don’t have enough room in your closet, you could store them under your bed or on your bedroom wall. Don’t store shoes in the basement, garage or other places that might get cold in the winter and hot in the summer. The fibers the shoes are made out of could break down over time under these conditions. If you’re going to be storing shoes for a month or longer before you next wear them, stuffing shoes with paper helps them retain their shape. Just make sure it’s acid-free paper, since paper that contains acid can damage shoe materials. Avoid using newsprint, since it could discolor your shoes.  Cut up toilet paper rolls also work well. Use shoe trees for your best shoes. If you have a pair of nice leather shoes, store them with shoe trees so they stay in tip-top condition. Shoe trees made out of cedar keep shoes smelling fresh, and they also repel moths and other bugs. Shoe trees are available at shoe stores or online. If you have a nice pair of boots you want to store, use boot stands to keep them upright. If the tops flop over, they could end up with a permanent crease after a few months of storage. If you don’t want to invest in boot stands, try this clever trick: use empty, dry wine bottles to keep your boots upright.
Summary: Clean the shoes. Sort them by season and purpose. Find a dark and temperature-controlled storage space. Stuff them with balled acid-free paper. Store boots upright.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: For some pets, such as guinea pigs, it is not possible to use many of the flea treatments available. In this case, a simple bath may be your only option. By bathing the pet in warm, not hot, water, you're trying to drown the fleas. This won't likely kill any eggs left, and it may be necessary to comb your pet, as well as repeat this bath.  Since the fleas will run to the head and face of your pet once you start wetting them, it is best to wet and lather up only the neck first then the rest of your pet. This will create a barrier to prevent the fleas from invading your pet's face and ears. Use room temperature or slightly warm water, so as not to shock or harm your pet. Stop the bath with small pets that get too stressed out. Animals like rabbits and guinea pigs can die from fear-induced heart-attacks. Though it may cause some skin dryness and/or irritation, dish soap can be effective at killing fleas. The soap is toxic to fleas, and can be used as a way to control the infestation. Make sure to rinse your pet thoroughly. These are shampoos that are specially designed to treat fleas in specific animals. Find one formulated for your pet. Make sure to follow the instructions provided exactly, to prevent any injury to your pet. Always rinse thoroughly. Residue from flea treatments can irritate your pets skin, and possibly lead to harm. By taking the time to rinse all the soap, shampoo, or herbal treatment from your pet, you will help to remove fleas, as well as ensure leftover residue doesn't cause your pet more discomfort.
Summary:
Use just water. Use dish soap in a bath to kill fleas. Get a flea shampoo. Rinse thoroughly.