In our recent survey 29% (of 9,019 Which? Connect panel members who remove ear wax from their ears) told us they use cotton buds to remove wax.

From a healthcare professional’s perspective, just because an ear wax camera allows you to see inside the ear doesn’t mean that you know what you are looking at. If your ear is full or hearing impaired, is it because of wax or because you have another condition that ear cleaning will not alleviate?We’re all about the can-do, do-it-yourself spirit of modern America, but there are limits. When it comes to your physical health, you really should leave things to the professionals. That said, there are many possible reasons you might want your own otoscope. Some people manually wash out their ears at home using body-temperature water and a saline solution with a bulb irrigator after using wax-softening drops. When the otoscope is active, your video will be shown on a 4 ½-inch screen. That’s around the size of a small smartphone screen, and it’s all you’ll really need. The video and display are 720p HD, so you get a reasonably good view of what’s going on. You can view your feed live, or save it to a video file. The AnyKit otoscope can accept up to a 32GB memory card to store your videos. That said, there’s no way to directly transfer files to your computer. You’ll have to remove the memory card, put it in your computer, and transfer files from there.

If you use a hearing aid, only use earwax softening drops at night and avoid wearing your hearing aid straight after putting drops or spray in, as this can damage your hearing aid. For another thing, you may have a pet with a medical conditions. With your own otoscope, you can keep tabs on them – following the vet’s instructions, of course. You may also want to look inside other small areas.

AnyKit Digital Otoscope

Some people find this procedure soothing; others describe it as odd; however, you should not feel any pain. Best and worst hearing aid providers - see how users rate major providers to help you find the best Earwax removal is likely to be more successful, and much more comfortable for you, if you use an over-the-counter earwax softener. Without doing this first, your earwax removal treatment could fail, especially if your earwax is hard and impacted. We advise that you use earwax softening drops for two to three days prior to your earwax removal treatment, or five days before if you think you have very hard earwax. Earwax softeners include olive oil drops or spray, or ear-canal hygiene sprays, and are available from your local pharmacist (who can advise if they are right for you)

Ear candles – or Hopi ear candles – are hollow cones made of a fabric tube soaked in beeswax and/or paraffin. Options include sodium bicarbonate 5% ear drops, hydrogen peroxide, medical-grade olive or almond oil drops. Research on which method is best – or whether water or salt water (saline) works as well – is inconclusive. There are many products available for the softening of ear wax. We recommend using either olive oil drops or spray, as they are not irritating or contain harsh chemicals, administered twice a day for 5 to 7 days before an appointment. If you are unsure about how to apply olive oil drops, please visit our FAQ section https://clearwaxsolutions.co.uk/faq/for more info. This is because they can damage the ear canal and eardrum, cause the wax to be impacted by pushing it further into your ear canal and could even perforate the eardrum. Ear irrigation at home

Teslong Digital Otoscope

Private companies, including larger national chains and independents, offer services to remove ear wax. This otoscope has a weather-resistance rating of IP67. The 7 tells you that it’s submersion-proof. It can withstand submersion at depths of 1 meter for a minimum of 30 minutes. In practice, this means you don’t need to have any concerns when you’re cleaning it. The probe can be sterilized with alcohol, or immersed in boiling water. There's no shortage of intriguing and professional-looking devices online which profess to identify and remove ear wax with ease, but we'd advise against getting carried away with DIY options that aren't proven or advised.