10 Best Ear Wax Removal Kits 2024 in the United States

Your ears naturally produce ear wax, or cerumen, as a line of defense against infection or debris entering in from the outside. The ear wax usually gets expelled from the ear due to your jaw movements, or by means of the skin of the ear canal growing outwards. But, in some cases, ear wax can get impacted too deep inside the ear canal. This can happen as a result of people using cotton swabs improperly. Another modern-day contribution to impacted ear wax is earbuds or earphones, which plug up the ears and block the normal discharge of ear wax. When you start to notice that your hearing isn’t as sharp as it was in the past, that could be an indication that your ears have impacted wax.

Fortunately, there are over-the-counter remedies for removing this wax. If you go to an Ear-Nose-and Throat doctor, he’ll remove it wax by means of a curette. There are also kits that you can buy, that use oils to lubricate the wax, or hydrogen peroxide, which break down the ear wax. They also contain a syringe or rubber bulb to flush the ear canal with water, to get the wax out. And finally, there are electric devices that vibrate to loosen impacted wax.

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting an ear wax removal kit. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of ear wax removal kit,

• See useful tips about that particular type of ear wax removal kit,

• Read reviews of different ear wax removal kits, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of ear wax removal kit, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

• Mechanical methods: There are several devices that are designed  to remove impacted or excess ear wax mechanically:

  • Curette: This is a metal tool with a broad tip that you insert into the ear, to scrape the accumulated ear wax out of the ear canal. You shouldn’t try this procedure on yourself, due to the risk of damaging or even puncturing the eardrum. Someone else can remove the ear wax if they have an otoscope (a device that magnifies and illuminates the ear canal, so that you can see where the wax is located). Etereauty is one company that makes curettes for removing ear wax at home. Their curettes come with a spring or spiral shape to do the job properly.

  • Spiral ear cleaner: The Smart Swab Spiral Ear Cleaner is an innovative device that is fashioned to remove ear wax by means of a simple twisting motion. It has a wider tip than a curette, which decreases the risk of a punctured eardrum during use. It has a flexible silicone tip to adjust to the contours of the ear canal.

  • Electric devices: There are also electric ear cleaners that loosen ear wax by vibrating inside the ear canal. The Infina Electric Ear Wax Removal Kit is such a device.

Etereauty 6-piece set of curettes for ear wax removal

Smart Swab Spiral Ear Cleaner, with 16 replaceable tips

• Solutions: Another popular method for removing ear wax yourself is by means of various over-the-counter solutions. There are two major methods:

  • They either lubricate and soften ear wax, to make it easier to remove. This is the case with the Squip Kyrosol Ear Wax removal kit, which has glycerol to serve as a lubricant.

  • They dissolve ear wax entirely, so that it can be flushed out with warm water. This is the method of the Debrox drops, which uses carbamide peroxide to dissolve wax.

• Baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide: There are a number of active ingredients in over-the-counter treatments, that have various levels of success. Some say that the Earwax MD solution, based on sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) works more quickly to break up ear wax than the Debrox formula, which is based on carbamide peroxide (and works much like hydrogen peroxide, by bubbling when coming in contact with the body’s warmth).

• A major cause of hearing loss in older people: Since it may take years for ear wax to accumulate to the point that you’ll experience hearing loss, impacted ear wax is the first thing to check for in elderly patients who complain that they don’t hear well anymore.

• Safety first: The utmost care should be taken when trying to remove ear wax yourself. Curettes and other devices that you insert in your ears must be sterilized. You must also take care not to insert these devices too deeply, where they can damage the ear canal or eardrum. Also, many of these products warn that they are not to be used in the event of an ear infection, irritation, or discharge from the ear. These conditions require professional medical attention!

• Use body-temperature water: If you try to flush out the wax using water in a syringe or rubber bulb, it is best to first heat the water, and then let the water cool to body temperature. Flushing the ear with cold water can cause dizziness.

• Debrox--is a over-the-counter remedy for wax buildup. It contains carbamide peroxide as its active ingredient. When you put it in your ear, it reacts with the ear wax. It starts to bubble and release oxygen, while dislodging the ear wax.

• Earwax MD--is a product from the drug company Eosera, which is located in Fort Worth, Texas. The formula of Earwax MD uses glycerin, sodium and potassium bicarbonate, and glycolic acid to dissolve ear wax.

• Squip--are makers of over the counter remedies for nasal congestion and ear wax buildup. Their headquarters is located in Lebanon, New Jersey. They make the Kyrosol Ear Wax Removal System, for rinsing the ear canal.

• Doctor Easy--make medical supplies and remedies for home use. They sell acne remedies, ear care products, medical gloves, and more. They have a solution for ear wax removal, as well as an ear washer, which can safely irrigate your ear with the solution.

• Smart Swab--is an ear wax removal device, that minimizes any danger of damaging your eardrum, while effectively removing ear wax. It is a good alternative to cotton swabs, which can impact the wax even more.