I can't keep Sam's ears clean

[Noah & me (GA)]

Sam has a lot of Persian in him and along with that comes the mushed in face. It might look cute but he has dental problems and his eyes and ears are always dirty. I can clean around his eyes with a damp and warm paper towel but we've decided to let the vet clean his ears. I just can't do it.
They were just cleaned and we're giving him Surolan (polymyxin B, miconazole, prednisolone) drops twice a day. It's a five minute ride to the clinic and Sam doesn't get stressed so for his health and my sanity we're going to let a pro clean his ears.
Does anyone have a better idea? He hates it when I fuss over him and I'm not going anywhere near a Q-tip.

 

[SaraMV]

Years ago, I had a cat who had unusually dirty ears. I would take a washcloth, wrap it around my pointer finger, wet it with warm water and just kind of gently wipe it around inside his ears. It's best to try to mimic the way a cat would lick another cat. Of course this doesn't work if it's dirty deep down.

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

How often do you think he will need his ears cleaned? I think letting the vet do it is a reasonable plan. I hope they know what they are doing though, as too aggressive ear cleaning can lead to other problems (Horner’s Syndrome.)

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Did the vet take an ear swa, rollit on a slide, stan it and look at it under a microscope to determine if there is an infection and if there is the type of infection?
Surolan is a good ear treatment since it contains an antibacterial and antifungal as well and an anti inflammatory agent. My experience is that the prednisolone has little effect on BGs.

With regard to cleaning, what works is the squirt a good quantity of cleaning solution in the ear canal and knead it in the ear canal then let the cat shake out the excess. I would do this cleaning after the Surolan treatment clear u any infections.
I have no problem gently cleaning my cats' ears with a Qtip. A cat's ear canal is not strait so it it is very hard to push the Qtip into the ear drum

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

Thanks everyone.

prednisolone has little effect on BGs / gently cleaning my cats' ears with a Qtip

Horner’s Syndrome

it's dirty deep down

At least Sam isn't diabetic and there's no infection, no sign's of Horner’s Syndrome so that's a big bonus. They are indeed dirty deep down and he had been scratching himself as well which I didn't mention the first time.
Maybe using a Q-tip is just a mental thing for me like the first time I had a syringe in my hand. I know there's a way to keep him from flinching and having a Q-tip come out the other side of his head. We all find a way.
Part of this is the grief I'm getting from the Saturday only vet, "Can't you see how dirty his ears are?" Yes, that's why he's here and why I'm holding my wallet in the other hand. I just got back from Sam's one week follow up and got the same condescending BS. When I used the analogy of people who let someone else clip their cat's nails it finally made sense to her. And no I'm not pouring potting soil in his ears and beating him with a stick.
This was all discussed in the parking lot, still not allowed inside because of Covid. I've had my third shot and was double masked, what more do you want?