Apparatus and method for treating or/and refreshing an ear canal of a subject, focused on cleaning the ear canal via removing cerumen therefrom. Apparatus includes a treating element formed as an elastic helically shaped coil strip, whose outer and inner surfaces may be coated (covered) by different possible combinations of outer layer, inner layer, and lubrication layer, coatings (coverings). The treating element outer and inner surfaces, as well as the outer layer, inner layer, or/and lubrication layer, are formed of, or/and include, materials exhibiting specific physicochemical properties and characteristics that facilitate particular friction and lubrication phenomena during implementation, which improve efficacy, safety, or/and tolerability of using the apparatus. Also disclosed is a method, including use of the apparatus, for treating or/and refreshing an ear canal of a subject.