Last Updated on 14th May 2021 by Admin
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We know you’re busy, and your hearing is too important to take chances with. That’s why we’re the first national wax removal service to offer the Waxfree Guarantee™ — a no-risk promise to you.
If we can’t remove your ear wax in the first appointment, your next appointment is FREE. No hidden fees, no surprises — just a commitment to ensuring you leave with clearer ears.
We value your time, and we understand that returning for follow-ups is frustrating. That’s why we make this guarantee: you’ll only pay once to get the result you need
To make sure your ear wax is soft enough for us to remove safely, we recommend following our proven Wax Busting Protocol™. It’s easy! Just a few days of simple at-home care will make the process smoother for you.
If you’ve ever dealt with hard, impacted wax, you know it can be tough to remove. By following these steps, we can ensure the process is quick, effective, and comfortable. And don’t worry — we’ll guide you through it step by step.
We only recommend products that are safe, trusted, and effective. Sodium Bicarbonate ear drops, Cl-ear™ Ear Relief and Earol™ spray are recommended by our team of professional Audiologists for their ability to gently soften and soothe ear wax. Plus, with our simple guide, you’ll be using them correctly for the best possible results.
Simply upload a quick photo of your purchase receipt using our easy-to-use form, and that’s it! If you bought your drops and spray together, you can use the same receipt twice. We’ve made it as easy as possible because we want you to focus on your results—not the paperwork.
Absolutely Not! We know it sounds too good to be true, but we promise there’s no catch. As long as you follow our simple protocol, we guarantee you’ll leave with clear ears—or your next appointment is free. We only ask you to use the products we recommend for your safety and to make sure the procedure goes as smoothly as possible.
Ready to experience the relief of clearer ears? Book your appointment today and take advantage of our Waxfree Guarantee™. It’s risk-free, hassle-free, and guaranteed to work — or your next visit is on us!
Our audiologists are highly trained professionals, and your safety is their top priority. The skin lining your ear canal is extremely delicate—it ranges from 1mm thick at the entrance to just 0.1mm (4 thousandths of an inch) at the eardrum.
Ear wax is often hard and sticky—if it weren’t, it would naturally work its way out, as the ear is self-cleaning for most people. When wax becomes impacted, it can stick to the delicate ear canal lining, increasing the risk of scratches, irritation, or damage during removal.
Pre-softening the wax is highly recommended because:
✔ It makes removal safer and more comfortable
✔ It reduces the risk of irritation or injury to the ear canal
✔ Clinical research confirms it lowers the chances of dizziness or discomfort during the procedure
For the safest and most effective treatment, we always recommend following our pre-softening guidelines before your appointment.
No, don’t stop! We normally expect this to occur.
When you apply ear drops or spray, the liquid fills the tiny gaps around the wax, temporarily reducing your hearing. If the wax is dry, it will also expand as it absorbs the softener—much like a raisin plumping up in water.
This is a sign that the wax softener is working, helping to break down the wax for a smoother, more comfortable removal.
For the best results, continue following the Hearing First Wax Busting Protocol™ or apply Earol olive oil spray 4 times a day for 5 days until your appointment.
This is a common challenge, and is one of the reasons why we offer a discount for single-ear procedures.
We recommend booking an appointment for one ear first, following the Hearing First Wax Busting Protocol™ for that ear. Once it has been treated, you can then repeat the process for your other ear at a later appointment.
This approach ensures both ears receive the proper care while fitting around your schedule.
If you can book at least one day in advance, we recommend speaking to a pharmacist and purchasing Waxsol or sodium bicarbonate with glycerol ear drops over the counter. Use them in both ears the night before and again on the morning of your appointment. While this isn’t as effective as the Hearing First Wax Busting Protocol™, it’s better than nothing and can improve the chances of successful removal.
If you book on the same day and haven’t softened your wax at all, you’ll need to agree to a disclaimer. We will do our best to remove the wax, but unfortunately, we cannot guarantee success in these cases.
Yes. Cl-ear Olive Oil Ear Spray is almost equivalent to Earol, and can be used as part of our Waxbusting Protocol™. The difference between them is that Earol is in a sealed sterile container and can be used for up to 6 months, while Cl-ear Ear Spray is good to use for up to 28 days.
No, it must be an olive oil spray rather than drops.
Earol uses a micronised spray, which breaks the oil into tiny droplets that penetrate ear wax far more effectively than standard olive oil drops. Additionally, Earol (and other olive oil sprays) should be applied with the head upright, encouraging wax to move towards the ear canal entrance.
In contrast, olive oil drops require you to tilt your head to the side, which can cause wax to shift closer to the eardrum, making removal more difficult.
Other brands, such as Cl-ear Olive Oil Spray, can be used as an alternative to Earol.
At Hearing First, we have performed over 60,000 ear wax removal procedures, refining the Hearing First Wax Busting Protocol™ to ensure safe and effective treatment. To qualify for the Hearing First Waxfree Guarantee™, only this protocol can be used.
No, unfortunately, you can’t. While Otex Express is heavily marketed—even to pharmacists—our clinical experience tells a different story.
We’ve treated many patients who have used Otex Express and experienced sore, red ear canals and peeling skin due to the hydrogen peroxide it contains. This can cause unnecessary irritation and discomfort during the wax removal procedure.
At Hearing First, we’ve carried out over 60,000 ear wax removal procedures, refining our approach to ensure the best results with maximum comfort. Our Hearing First Wax Busting Protocol™ is a safe, effective method designed to prepare your ears for wax removal without causing irritation.
To qualify for the Hearing First Waxfree Guarantee™, we require patients to follow this protocol exclusively, ensuring the best possible outcome.
Yes, you can. Be careful to only use sodium bicarbonate for two days at the beginning of the Waxbusting Protocol™, followed by three days of using Earol olive oil spray. The ear canal surface is designed to be acidic in order to discourage the growth of bacterial and fungal spores. While sodium bicarbonate is indeed effective at softening ear wax, it is alkaline and can neutralise the acidity of the canal surface, sometimes causing the upper layer of skin to peel off, especially when used for more than a few days. This can increase the chances of a painful outer ear infection (otitis externa), and make make the ear canal swollen and sensitive, making for an unnecessarily uncomfortable ear wax removal procedure.
Over the course of more than 60,000 ear wax removal procedures, we have developed the Hearing First Wax Busting Protocol™, which is safe and effective, and only this protocol will be accepted for the Hearing First Waxfree Guarantee™
When you use the Hearing First Wax Busting Protocol™, it greatly reduces the chances of scratches or damage to the ear canal surface. However, there may be microscopic scratches that we cannot see. We therefore recommend that you keep your ears dry for 4 to 5 days to allow the skin surface to start to recover. During this period, when you shower or wash your hair, you will need to get some cotton wool balls and Vaseline (or other petroleum jelly), saturate two cotton wool balls with the Vaseline, squish them up and place one in the outer bowl of each ear – this will prevent water from entering the ear canal.
Moving forwards, in order to reduce wax build up our advice has changed to keeping your ears dry as much as possible, rather than regularly applying olive oil. Our Director, Mary Levy studied this phenomenon over the course of 6 months and her research is published here.
We would always recommend booking an ear examination with an Audiologist or doctor before trying self-treatment, but a good product is Otinova, which can be purchased online in our web shop here. It contains several ingredients which are antibacterial and antifungal and reduce itching. If the itching continues despite 7 days treatment, we recommend you seek medical advice, as a prescription strength medicine may be necessary.
When choosing a provider for ear wax removal, it’s important to consider more than just price. Since ear wax removal is an unregulated procedure in the UK, you should be extremely cautious about who you trust with your ears. Here’s why:
✔ Medical expertise matters – NHS GP surgeries have largely stopped using nurses for ear wax removal, as it requires specialised skills.
✔ Your ears are delicate – Your eardrum is just 0.1mm (4 thousandths of an inch) thick. While surgery can repair damage, success isn’t guaranteed. You only have one set of ears—protect them.
✔ Training makes a difference – Lay people offering wax removal typically complete only a one- or two-day course. They lack in-depth knowledge of ear anatomy, physiology, and potential complications. Without ongoing supervision under an ear specialist, their experience is extremely limited.
✔ Our expertise – At Hearing First, all our audiologists have studied Audiology for at least six months, with most having three years of formal education in ear anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Most also hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Pathology of the Auditory System and ENT Emergencies, equipping them to recognise and manage complex ear health issues.
Choosing a provider with the right expertise ensures not just effective treatment, but also your long-term ear health and safety.
This is an important question, especially since ear wax removal is currently unregulated in the UK. In reality, anyone can call themselves an “ear wax removal practitioner” after just a one- or two-day course, obtain indemnity insurance, and start a business—with little to no experience.
However, the ear is an extremely delicate organ, and improper wax removal can cause serious damage. The eardrum, for example, is only 0.1mm (4 thousandths of an inch) thick, and while surgery can sometimes repair it, the risks of permanent harm are significant.
For public safety, we strongly recommend that anyone performing ear wax removal should have at least six months of formal training in:
✔ Ear anatomy (understanding the structure of the ear)
✔ Physiology (how the ear functions)
✔ Pathology (identifying conditions that may appear to be wax but could indicate a more serious issue)
At a minimum, this level of training corresponds to roles such as Associate Audiologist or Audiologist Assistant. Even then, these individuals should only operate under the supervision of a Registered Hearing Aid Dispenser—an experienced audiologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the only statutory professional regulator of Audiologists. The list therefore includes:
🔹 HCPC-Registered Hearing Aid Dispensers
🔹 Audiologists
🔹 Associate Audiologists / Audiologist Assistants
Other suitable professionals include:
🔹 ENT surgeons
🔹 ENT nurses with a minimum of three years of experience working under an ENT specialist
We strongly advise that anyone carrying out ear wax removal should either:
✔ Be registered with a relevant statutory professional body (e.g., HCPC, GMC)
✔ Work under the supervision of a qualified professional on such a register
This ensures they adhere to strict professional codes of conduct, ethics, and safety standards—giving you confidence that your ear health is in expert hands.
You’re still in excellent hands. Hearing First’s audiologists are highly trained in microsuction and manual instrument ear wax removal and have an industry-leading first appointment success rate of 99.8%.
In the unlikely event that your wax is too hard or too impacted to be fully removed in one session, we offer a 40% discount on a follow-up appointment. While we always aim for complete removal in one visit, your long-term ear health is our priority.
Your ears and hearing are delicate and precious, and our audiologists will always err on the side of caution. In some cases, it’s better to remove the wax comfortably and effectively over two appointments rather than risk discomfort by forcing it in one go.
Here are six reasons why Hearing First is the best choice for safe and professional ear wax removal:
✔ Waxfree Guarantee™ – We are the only ear wax removal provider to offer this exclusive guarantee.
✔ In-House Clinicians – All of our Audiologists are directly employed by Hearing First—we are not a referral service.
✔ Audiology Experts – Our clinicians are qualified Audiologists who specialise in hearing—we do not employ pharmacy assistants, podiatrists, or beauticians.
✔ Ongoing Professional Training – Our Audiologists undergo regular professional development to stay at the forefront of audiology advancements.
✔ Advanced Equipment – We use the Vorotek O-Scope, which provides superior depth perception up to the eardrum, making it safer than loupes, video-endoscopes, or the Tympa system.
✔ Safe & Effective Techniques – All of our Audiologists are trained in both microsuction and manual instrument methods, the most precise and comfortable ear wax removal techniques available.
With Hearing First, you’re in the hands of dedicated registered professionals who prioritise your well-being and hearing care.
The four methods of ear wax removal are:
1. Irrigation (aka syringing)
2. Endoscopic ear wax removal
3. Microsuction
4. Manual instruments
There are four recognised methods of ear wax removal, but while each has its own merits, they are not equal in terms of effectiveness and safety. No method is completely risk-free, but some are significantly safer than others. The key factor in ensuring a safe and successful procedure is the expertise and training of the practitioner. Is the person treating you a qualified Audiologist with in-depth knowledge of the ear, or are they a beautician, podiatrist, or pharmacy assistant with limited ear care training?
The Four Methods of Ear Wax Removal
❌ Irrigation (Not Used at Hearing First)
We have never used irrigation due to its higher risk of complications, including eardrum perforation. This method, sometimes referred to as “spray and pray”, involves flushing the ear with water without direct visualisation of the ear canal. The force of the water jet can unintentionally strike the eardrum, particularly if an undiagnosed infection has weakened it.
❌ Endoscopic Microsuction (Not Used at Hearing First)
We conducted a year-long evaluation of this method and found several significant drawbacks:
✗ The endoscope is bulky, making it uncomfortable in narrow ear canals.
✗ 2D imaging lacks depth perception, increasing the risk of accidental injury.
✗ The heavy battery pack causes hand fatigue, making it impractical for all-day clinic use.
✗ It is better suited for video demonstrations than clinical precision.
✅ Microsuction (Preferred Method at Hearing First)
✔ Widely regarded as the safest method for ear wax removal.
✔ Performed using a fixed or portable ENT microscope (e.g. Vorotek O-Scope) for superior depth perception.
✔ Ideal when wax has been properly softened.
✔ If wax is deep, we use a fine end suction tube, reducing airflow by 75% for a quieter, more comfortable experience.
✅ Manual Instrument Removal (Used When Necessary)
✔ Effective when wax is too firm or sticky for microsuction.
✔ Used if wax is adhering to the ear canal wall (often due to insufficient softening).
✔ While patients may feel temporary pressure, the instant relief when the wax is removed makes it worthwhile.
A Tailored Approach for the Best Results
In many cases, our clinicians use a combination of microsuction and manual instruments, as wax can vary in consistency depending on how long it has been in the ear and how well it has softened.
No matter which method is used, as long as you follow our Waxbusting Protocol™, you are covered by our Waxfree Guarantee™—if we can’t remove your wax at the first appointment, your second visit is free!