Your ears clean themselves. Wax slowly moves out of the ear canal on its own, taking dust and dead skin with it.
What cotton buds do
A cotton bud can remove a little wax from the opening of your ear. But it often pushes the rest further in, where it packs together and can block the ear. The NHS advises not to use fingers, cotton buds or any objects to remove ear wax.
What to do instead
Wipe the outer ear with a cloth after a shower.
If your ear feels blocked, try olive oil drops for a few days.
If it still feels blocked, book an ear check.
What about ear candles?
The NHS says there is no evidence that ear candles or ear vacuums remove ear wax. We don't recommend them.
