# Earwax: When to Remove It and How to Do It Safely - Source: https://fairfieldhearing.in/blogs/care-maintenance/earwax-removal-when-and-how-safely - Publisher: Fairfield Hearing Clinics (https://fairfieldhearing.in) - Author: Shahabuddin Khan, Director · Hearing Care Professional - Medically reviewed by: Sahil Khan - Published: 23 Oct 2026 · Updated: 23 Oct 2026 > Most people never need earwax removed — it cleans and protects the ear and moves out on its own. Remove it only when it causes symptoms or blocks the eardrum, and have it done by a clinician with softening drops, irrigation or microsuction. Never use cotton buds or ear candles. ## Key takeaways - Earwax is natural and protective; remove it only when it causes symptoms or blocks the view of the eardrum. - Do not put cotton buds, hairpins or anything small into the ear canal. - Ear candles do not work and can cause burns. - Safe removal: softening drops, electronic irrigation or microsuction by a trained clinician. - Hearing aid users are more likely to get blocked wax and should have their ears checked regularly. ## Do I need to remove my earwax? Most people never need to remove earwax. Earwax (cerumen) is a natural protective substance: it cleans, moistens and protects the ear canal, and it normally moves out of the ear on its own with jaw movement such as chewing and talking. The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) guideline on earwax says wax should only be removed when it causes symptoms or blocks the view of the eardrum [1][2]. ## How do I know if earwax is blocking my ear? You may have blocked (impacted) earwax if you notice muffled or reduced hearing in one ear, a full or plugged feeling, ringing in the ear, itching, or sometimes ear discomfort or dizziness. The only way to be sure is to have the ear looked into with an otoscope (a small lighted instrument). These symptoms can also be caused by infection or other ear problems, so a check is better than guessing. ## How common is blocked earwax? Blocked earwax is common. According to the AAO-HNS, excessive or impacted earwax is present in about 1 in 10 children, 1 in 20 adults and more than one-third of older adults and people with developmental delay [2]. ## Are cotton buds safe for cleaning ears? No. Cotton buds are not safe for cleaning inside the ear. They push wax deeper, can pack it against the eardrum and can injure the ear canal or eardrum. The AAO-HNS advises against putting cotton swabs or any small object into the ear — its simple rule is “don’t put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear” [1][2]. The same applies to hairpins, keys, matchsticks and feathers. Clean only the outer ear with a cloth. ## Do ear candles work? No. Ear candles (ear candling or ear coning) do not remove earwax and can cause burns and injury. The AAO-HNS guideline advises doctors to discourage them [1][2], and medical-device regulators have warned that ear candles can cause serious injuries — burns, a perforated eardrum and wax blocking the ear canal — even when used as directed, with no valid evidence that they work [3]. ## How is blocked earwax removed safely? Blocked earwax is removed safely in three ways, by a trained clinician after looking into the ear: 1. **Softening drops** — such as olive oil or sodium bicarbonate drops — loosen the wax and are often all that is needed. The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends wax softeners either immediately before ear irrigation or for up to 5 days beforehand [4]. 2. **Ear irrigation** — gently washing the wax out with body-temperature water using an electronic irrigator. NICE advises **against old-style manual syringing** [4]. 3. **Microsuction or manual removal** — using a tiny suction tube or small instruments while the clinician looks into the ear with magnification [4][5]. Your clinician will choose the method that suits your ear. ## When should ears not be washed out? Ears should not be washed out (irrigated) if you have, or have had, a perforated eardrum, grommets (ear tubes), a mastoid cavity from previous ear surgery, an ear infection, something stuck in the ear, problems with wax removal in the past, or only one hearing ear [5][6]. In these cases another method, such as microsuction, is used. Tell the clinician about your ear history before any wax removal. ## When should I see a doctor instead? You should see a doctor — not try home remedies — if you have ear pain, discharge, bleeding, a perforated eardrum, diabetes or a weak immune system with ear symptoms, or **sudden** hearing loss. Sudden hearing loss in one or both ears is a medical emergency: see an ENT doctor straight away, because early treatment matters [7]. ## Do hearing aid users get more earwax problems? Yes. People who wear hearing aids or earplugs are more likely to get wax impaction, because the device in the ear canal disturbs the ear’s natural self-cleaning [1][6]. The AAO-HNS advises clinicians to look into the ears of hearing aid users for wax [6]. Wax can also block the hearing aid’s wax filter and cause weak sound or whistling — see [why is my hearing aid whistling?](/blogs/care-maintenance/why-is-my-hearing-aid-whistling) and [how to clean your hearing aids](/blogs/care-maintenance/how-to-clean-hearing-aids-daily-weekly-routine). ## How can I prevent earwax build-up? You can help prevent earwax build-up by leaving the ear canal alone, cleaning only the outer ear, and having your ears checked regularly if you wear hearing aids or earplugs or have had blocked wax before. Ask your doctor or audiologist whether occasional softening drops are suitable for you. ## Does Fairfield remove earwax? Yes. Fairfield Hearing Clinics offers ear checks and professional earwax removal by trained clinicians at our [New Friends Colony and Hari Nagar clinics](/clinics). We look into your ears first, choose a safe method, and refer you to an ENT doctor if we see anything that needs medical care. Ear checks are part of every [hearing test](/hearing-test). ## References 1. Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, et al. *Clinical Practice Guideline (Update): Earwax (Cerumen Impaction).* Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2017;156(1 Suppl):S1–S29. Summary: American Family Physician, https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2017/0815/p263.html 2. American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. *Updated clinical practice guideline on earwax* (press release). https://www.entnet.org/resource/aao-hnsf-updated-cpg-earwax-press-release/ 3. Saudi Food and Drug Authority, National Center for Medical Devices Reporting. *Safety notice: ear candles* (1 September 2010). https://sfda.gov.sa/sites/default/files/pdfs-files/Earcandle1.pdf 4. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. *Hearing loss in adults: assessment and management (NG98), recommendations 1.2.* https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/chapter/recommendations 5. Munro KJ, et al. *Ear wax management in primary care: what the busy GP needs to know.* Br J Gen Pract 2023;73(727):90–92. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9888562 6. Krouse HJ, et al. *Plain Language Summary: Earwax (Cerumen Impaction).* Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2017;156(1):30–37. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0194599816680327 7. Chandrasekhar SS, et al. *Clinical Practice Guideline: Sudden Hearing Loss (Update)*, summarised in AAO-HNS Bulletin, “Sudden Hearing Loss Update”, 2019. https://bulletin.entnet.org/home/article/21247640/sudden-hearing-loss-update ## Frequently asked questions ### Is it safe to clean ears with cotton buds? No. Cotton buds push wax deeper and can injure the ear canal or eardrum. Clean only the outer ear with a cloth. ### Do ear candles remove earwax? No. Ear candles do not remove earwax and can cause burns and injury. Guidelines advise against them. ### What is the safest way to remove earwax? After the ear has been examined, a clinician may use softening drops, irrigation with an electronic irrigator, or microsuction. Old-style manual syringing is not recommended. ### Who should not have their ears washed out? People with a perforated eardrum, grommets, a mastoid cavity, an ear infection or only one hearing ear should not have irrigation; microsuction is usually used instead. --- Book a free hearing test with Fairfield Hearing Clinics: https://fairfieldhearing.in/book-a-test · Phone +91-9811418578