I use ear powder in their ears after I clean them. This keeps the ears dry and makes hair plucking very easy. I've been using 'R-7' ear powder which I bought in Petsmart which says it contains something to help grip the hair. It works great. But you should only pull a few strands at a time, not a whole clump.
I use my fingers and tug gently and they never act like it hurts them. I find it easier to keep the ears clean without hair in them.
