I get some ear cleaner from the vet and drop a little in the ears and swoosh it around and then clean it out with a cotton ball. I wouldn't use Q-tips, just for in the creases. There is a certian ingredient in some ear cleaners that irriates their ears, but I forgot what it was called. It was in Heidi's first ear cleaner and she HATED her ears to be cleaned, and now I know why. Poor baby. I switched to a different one, and she still doesn't like it but it doesn't bother her like the other one did. For a dog that hasn't had her ears cleaned before maybe you should go with the wipes. It probably won't be quite as a shock to her as the liquid stuff going into her ears. You want to keep them nice and clean though or else they can get infections. Good luck!