Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning and sterilizing ear lobe holes for pierced earrings utilizes a string of absorbent material having attached thereto a firm tip. Both the string and the tip are maintained in a sealed envelope adjacent a pad of absorbent material saturated with an antiseptic fluid in contact with the string to saturate the string with the fluid. When it is desired to clean and sterilize the ear lobe hole, the package is opened and the string and tip are run through the ear lobe hole. The string both cleans the ear lobe hole and imparts the sterilizing fluid to the hole.