Safe and Effective Ear Wax Removal Kits
Ear wax is produced naturally, as a protective coating for the ear canal. It traps dust, bacteria, fungus, and other contaminants so that they don’t enter further into your ear. However, some people produce an excess amount of ear wax, and it starts to get impacted in the ear canal. This can lead to diminished hearing, or even pain and infection. It’s not recommended to try to remove ear wax with Q-Tips or other cotton swabs (and certainly not with a pen or paper clip!), because these have a good chance of driving the wax further in, and even causing an abrasion in the ear canal, or a perforation of the eardrum. That makes the problem already something much more serious.
Fortunately, there are over-the-counter ear wax removal kits and ear wax removal tools that can assist you. Many use irrigation, by first softening the wax with hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, and then flushing the ear out with warm water. There are also tools that gently remove the wax, without the risk of impacting the wax even more. We’ll go through some of the most popular products, to allow you to make an informed decision when choosing an ear wax removal kit.
Types of Ear Wax Removal Kits
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Carbamine peroxide/Hydrogen Peroxide drops: There are products that include these drops in a low concentration, which help to dissolve ear wax, while not risking any harm to the inner ear. For example, the Murine Ear Wax Removal System promises results in as little as four days of treatment! If you don’t see any improvement after four days, it’s best to see a doctor.
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Irrigation kits: There are irrigation systems that allow you to spray water or saline solution into your ear canal, to loosen and dislodge impacted wax. The EarClear Rigid Tip Self Ear Washing Kit includes a penlight to look for impacted wax, as well as a spray bottle. You can add hydrogen peroxide to the water before spraying, for better results.
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Spiral Ear Wax Removers: There are also ear wax removal tools, that allow you to reach into the ear canal, but not so far as to risk perforating the eardrum. One example is the Huibao Ear Wax Remover Tool Q-Grips. You insert it into your ear and simply rotate. Its spiral design works the ear wax out of your ear canal, without any need to insert the device any deeper.
What reviewers say
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Spiral tool gives mixed results: Otologists have their reservations about the over-the-counter spiral tool to remove ear wax. They said that it wasn’t effective for truly impacted wax. And it could only get out the most superficial layers of wax, leaving most of the accumulation inside.
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Effectiveness of drops: Other otologists say that carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide drops gave good results. There are also products based on mineral oil, which is meant to soften ear wax--but these usually take a week or two of application, before there is any chance of irrigating the ears and getting the wax out. Carbamide peroxide drops, on the other hand, could even be used in the office. After applying the drops, the impacted ear wax was already soft enough for the otologist to remove.
Important Features
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When to discontinue use: If you apply carbamide or hydrogen peroxide drops, there is usually a bubbling sensation and a “crackling” sound that you’ll hear. This is normal, as the body’s warmth causes the peroxide to release oxygen bubbles. You might also have a temporary decrease in hearing. But, in the case of an allergic reaction such as inflammation, dizziness, or a worsening of your symptoms, you should discontinue treatment immediately.
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Don’t irrigate the ear with cold water: If you purchase one of the irrigation kits, be sure to use warm water to squirt into your ear. Spraying water that is too cold can cause a sensation of dizziness, and water that is too hot can cause scalding.
Top-Rated Brands
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The Murine Ear Wax Removal System contains carbamide peroxide to dissolve ear wax. It is able to treat wax build-up in as little as four days. The recommended dosage is 5-10 drops in the ear, twice a day for up to four days. You flush the ear with warm water by means of a rubber bulb after the treatment.
Murine Ear Wax Removal System
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The EarClear Rx Rigid Tip Self Ear Washing Kit for Ear Wax Removal includes a spray bottle with a special attachment for reaching into the ear, an otoscope penlight for looking for the impacted wax, and an ear basin to catch the water that runs off.
EarClear Rx Rigid Tip Self Ear Washing Kit for Ear Wax Removal
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The Hailicare Ear Wax Cleaner Earwax Removal Kit includes an irrigation bottle that you fill with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water, washing tips, a medical-grade silicone tube, an ear basin, and mini-bulb syringes.
Hailicare Ear Wax Cleaner Earwax Removal Kit
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The Huibao 2020 New Ear Wax Remover Tool Q-Grips is a spiral ear wax remover made from soft medical-grade silicone that will fit all ear sizes, and remove ear wax without damaging your ear canal. You simply twist it, and it grabs the impacted wax and slowly removes it. It is suitable for both adults and children.
Huibao 2020 New Ear Wax Remover Tool Q-Grips
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The NeilMed Clearcanal Ear Wax Removal Kit contains a bottle of saline spray, ear drops containing carbamide peroxide, a drainage collection cup, earplugs, an ear spin safe tool, and a silicone ear syringe. You apply 10 drops of the carbamide peroxide solution to soften the ear wax, and then rinse out the ear canal with the saline solution.
NeilMed Clearcanal Ear Wax Removal Kit
