Olive oil for earwax: how to use it, and when it will not work
Olive oil drops are the simplest thing you can do at home for a build-up of earwax. Used properly, they soften wax so it can work its way out. Here is exactly how to use them, and how to tell when it is time for something else.
How olive oil helps
Earwax normally makes its own way out of the ear, carried by the movement of your jaw as you talk and eat. When it builds up and hardens, that process stalls. Olive oil does not dissolve wax, but it softens and lubricates it, which can be enough to get things moving again.
It also makes wax far easier to remove if you do need microsuction, so a few days of drops beforehand is rarely wasted. Ordinary olive oil from the kitchen works, though many people prefer a pharmacy spray or dropper bottle, which is cleaner and easier to use.
How to use olive oil drops
- Warm the oil to room temperature. Cold drops can make you dizzy for a moment. Never heat it.
- Lie on your side with the blocked ear facing up.
- Put two or three drops into the ear, or one or two sprays.
- Gently massage the small flap in front of your ear to help the oil in.
- Stay lying down for about five minutes, then sit up with a tissue to catch any oil.
- Repeat three or four times a day for three to five days.
Do not plug the ear with cotton wool afterwards, and do not use cotton buds to try to fish the wax out. Wipe away anything at the opening of the ear and leave the rest to do its work.
Microsuction clears most blockages in one visit. £60 for both ears, in our Birmingham clinic or at home, with a free hearing check.
When not to use olive oil
- If you have, or might have, a perforated eardrum.
- If you have grommets, or have had ear surgery, unless your specialist has said it is fine.
- If your ear is painful, swollen or discharging, which could mean an infection.
- If you have sudden hearing loss. That needs medical advice the same day.
In any of these cases, speak to a pharmacist or your GP first.
Why drops sometimes do not work
Drops work best on soft or moderate build-ups. If wax has been packed down by cotton buds, earbuds or a hearing aid, or has been there for months, it can be too hard and too deep for oil to shift. Sometimes the drops soften the outer layer and the ear feels more blocked for a day or two before it improves.
If your hearing is still muffled after five days, it is unlikely another week of drops will fix it. That is the point to have your ears looked at, because it may not be wax at all. Fluid behind the eardrum, an infection or a change in hearing can all feel the same.
What to do next
Microsuction is the quickest way to clear a stubborn blockage. A fine, gentle suction tube lifts the wax out under magnification, with no water, usually in about 30 minutes for both ears. We include a free hearing check afterwards, so you know whether the wax was the whole story. See our guide to earwax build-up for more on the signs and causes.
Frequently asked questions.
Three to five days, three or four times a day. If your hearing has not improved by then, have your ears checked.
Sometimes for a day or two, as the wax softens and swells. If it stays worse, or becomes painful, stop and seek advice.
Both work. Sodium bicarbonate drops can be more effective on hard wax but can irritate sensitive skin. Olive oil is gentle and suits most people.
Clear ears, checked hearing.
Microsuction earwax removal in our Birmingham clinic or at home.
Earwax build-upEarwax removalMicrosuction vs irrigationBlocked ears
Written and clinically reviewed by our HCPC registered audiologists. Last reviewed: 15 October 2026. This page is general information, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your hearing or your ears, book an appointment or speak to your GP.