Home care and prevention
Earphones, earbuds and ear wax build-up
In-ear headphones can push wax back and stop it clearing naturally. How to keep your ears and your earbuds clean if you wear them for hours every day.
In short
- In-ear buds sit right where ear wax is made and get in the way of it moving out. Each time you put them in, a little wax can be nudged deeper.
- Wearing earbuds every day does not mean you will block. Narrow ear canals, a lot of wax to begin with and tips that are too big all make it more likely.
- If one bud sounds quiet, swap them between ears first: a clogged speaker mesh is a common culprit.
- Clean the tips and mesh about once a week, give your ears regular breaks and never share earbuds.
- If an ear is still muffled after 3 to 5 days of olive or almond oil drops, have it looked at by a clinician.
Earbuds can contribute to ear wax build-up, although most people who wear them every day never have a problem. The tips sit at the entrance of the ear canal, which is exactly where wax is made, and they block the route it normally takes out of your ear. Push them in several times a day and some of that wax gets pressed back down the canal, where it can harden. Clean tips and a few small changes in habit are usually enough to prevent it.
Do earbuds cause ear wax build-up?
The trouble isn't really that earbuds make extra wax. It's where the wax ends up.
Your ear canals clean themselves. The skin lining them grows slowly outwards from the eardrum and carries old wax towards the opening, helped by the movement of your jaw as you talk and eat. Wax is only made in the outer third of the canal, just behind the opening. That is also where the tip of an in-ear bud sits.
A bud gets in the way of this system. The silicone or foam tip acts as a plug, so wax that would normally reach the opening and fall away collects behind it instead. Every time you put the bud in, it presses on whatever wax is there and nudges some of it deeper, past the part of the canal that can carry it back out. A sealed tip also keeps the canal warm and a little damp for hours, which softens the wax and can leave the skin itchy.
None of this means earbuds are bad for you. The people who do get blocked tend to have narrow or curved ear canals, make plenty of wax anyway, or use tips a size too big that need forcing in. If you also wear hearing aids or sleep in earplugs, your ears are dealing with the same effect twice over.
Signs your earbuds are pushing wax in
A build-up usually comes on gradually and often affects one ear more than the other. The most common signs are:
Signs of a wax build-up in earbud users
- One ear sounding duller than the other, even with the buds out
- A full or blocked feeling when you take them out
- Itching deep inside the ear
- Fresh wax on the tips a day or two after cleaning them
- Ringing or buzzing you notice most in a quiet room
- Needing the volume higher than you used to
Before you blame your ears, check the bud. A film of wax over the speaker mesh is a very common reason for one earbud to go quiet, and cleaning it often brings the sound straight back. A quick test is to swap the buds between ears. If the quiet one stays quiet in your other ear, the problem is the bud. If the dull sound follows your ear, wax is the more likely cause.
Each of these symptoms, and the ones that suggest an infection rather than wax, is covered in more detail in signs of ear wax build-up.
In-ear, open earbuds or over-ear headphones?
If your ears block often, the type of headphone matters more than the brand. What counts is how far into the canal it goes and how tightly it seals.
| In-ear buds with tips | Open earbuds | Over-ear headphones | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | A soft tip sealed into the entrance of the ear canal | In the bowl of the outer ear, resting at the canal opening | On or over the outer ear, with nothing in the canal |
| Effect on wax | The most likely to hold wax back and push it in | Less, as there is no seal, though they can still rub wax back | Little or none |
| Heat and moisture | Trapped in the canal while you wear them | Some air still reaches the canal | The outer ear gets warm but the canal stays open |
| Good to know | Pick a tip size that seals without being forced | They let in more outside noise, so you may turn them up on a train | Bulkier, but the kindest option for ears that block often |
Bone conduction headphones, which rest on the cheekbones in front of the ears, also leave the ear canal open.
Noise cancelling makes no difference to wax either way. It can protect your hearing, though, because you don't need to turn the sound up to drown out a busy office or a rattling train.
How to clean your earbuds
Dirty tips put old wax, skin flakes and bacteria back into your ear every time you wear them. For daily use, a clean once a week is a sensible routine, and more often if you exercise in them. Check the maker's instructions first, because some models can't take any moisture at all.
- Take the tips off if they come off, and switch the buds off.
- Brush the speaker mesh with a dry, soft brush such as a clean child's toothbrush. Hold the bud mesh-side down so loosened wax falls out rather than further in.
- Wipe the outside with a dry, lint-free cloth. If the maker allows it, a cloth barely dampened with water, or an alcohol wipe, will shift grease. Keep liquid away from every opening.
- Wash silicone tips in warm, soapy water, rinse them and let them dry completely before they go back on.
- Replace foam tips once they look grubby or stop springing back into shape. They absorb wax and sweat and can't be cleaned properly.
- Wipe out the charging case, including the slots, as dirty buds leave wax behind in there.
Avoid pins, cocktail sticks and cans of compressed air. They can drive debris through the mesh or damage the speaker behind it. And don't share earbuds: you share whatever is living on the tips as well.
Everyday habits that keep your ears clear
You don't have to give up earbuds. A few changes to how you wear them make a real difference if you're prone to blockages.
Do
- take them out between calls or when you stop listening, rather than leaving them in all day
- use the smallest tip that still gives a comfortable seal
- let your ears dry after a shower or swim before putting buds in
- switch to over-ear headphones for long stretches at a desk
- use softening drops now and then if a clinician has suggested it
Don't
- twist or press the buds further in to get a better seal
- clean inside your ears with cotton buds, fingers or the corner of a towel
- sleep in earbuds every night if you are prone to blockages
- carry on wearing them if an ear is sore, swollen or leaking
Cleaning inside your ears is the habit most worth dropping. A cotton bud clears a little wax from the opening and packs the rest further in, the same problem earbuds cause, only worse. There's more on why cotton buds make ear wax worse, and what to use instead. If you find yourself blocked every few months, read how often ear wax should be removed to work out a sensible routine.
Ear wax, volume and your hearing
A partly blocked ear makes everything a little quieter, so it's easy to nudge the volume up without noticing. That's worth keeping an eye on. Ear wax causes temporary muffling that goes once the wax is cleared, but loud listening over long periods can damage hearing for good.
The NHS advice is simple: music should be just loud enough for you to hear it comfortably. Headphones that block out background noise help you stick to that. Many phones can also warn you when you've been listening loudly for a long time, so it's worth switching that setting on.
Ringing in your ears after a long session of loud music is a sign you have overdone it. It usually settles within a day or two. If it doesn't, or your hearing still seems dull after any wax has been removed, book a hearing test. To tell a wax problem from something else, see ear wax and hearing loss and ear wax and tinnitus.
When to get your ears looked at
If an ear feels blocked, leave the earbud out on that side for a few days and try softening the wax. The NHS suggests 2 to 3 drops of olive or almond oil in the ear, 3 to 4 times a day for 3 to 5 days, as long as your eardrum isn't perforated. Our guide on how to use ear drops shows how to get them where they need to go.
Still blocked after that? A clinician can look in your ear and remove the wax, usually in a single appointment. Microsuction, offered by many private clinics, lifts the wax out with gentle suction under magnification. Because it's a dry method there is no water left in the canal afterwards. Ask the clinician when you can go back to in-ear buds, particularly if your ear feels tender.
See a GP or contact NHS 111 if you have
- ear pain that is getting worse, or ear pain with a high temperature
- discharge, blood or a bad smell coming from the ear
- swelling or redness in or around the ear
- sudden hearing loss in one or both ears
- severe dizziness
These point to an infection or another problem rather than wax. Keep in-ear buds out until it has been treated. Read how to tell a wax blockage from an ear infection.
Find a clinic
Blocked ear that drops haven't shifted?
Search by town or postcode to find ear wax removal clinics near you, then compare them and request an appointment.
Common questions
Can earbuds cause an ear infection?
They can play a part. Tips that are rarely cleaned carry bacteria, and a sealed bud keeps the canal warm and damp for hours, which suits the germs behind outer ear infections (otitis externa). Itching that turns into pain, swelling or discharge needs a pharmacist or GP rather than wax removal. Leave in-ear buds out until it has cleared.
Are foam tips worse for ear wax than silicone tips?
There is no good evidence that either type makes you produce more wax. The real difference is hygiene. Silicone tips can be washed and dried, while foam tips soak up wax and sweat and have to be replaced every so often. Whichever you use, choose a size that seals gently without being pushed hard into the canal.
Why is there only wax on one of my earbuds?
Your ear canals are rarely identical, so one may be narrower, more curved or simply busier at making wax. Habits count too. If you wear a single bud for calls, or sleep on one side with a bud in, that ear takes more of the pressure. A one-sided blockage that keeps coming back is worth mentioning to a clinician.
Do sleep earplugs cause the same problem?
They can, for the same reasons: they sit in the canal for hours and go in and out every day. Mouldable silicone plugs that cover the opening, rather than filling the canal, tend to be gentler. Replace foam plugs often and wash reusable ones. The same principle applies to hearing aids and ear wax.
How soon after ear wax removal can I wear earbuds again?
Go by what the clinician who treated you says. Once your ears feel comfortable there is usually no reason to wait long, but if the canal feels tender or itchy, give it a few days and use over-ear headphones in the meantime. Our aftercare guide explains what is normal after removal.
Treatments mentioned in this guide
Microsuction
Gentle suction under magnification
