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How we rate OTC Medicines and Health Products
1100+
products evaluated
357
pharmacists surveyed
134
dermatologists surveyed
See our full methodology
Key Takeaways
- An earwax removal kit is an easy, inexpensive and relatively safe way to remove excess earwax at home.
- Brands that feature carbamide peroxide drops – which soften earwax – earned the highest scores in our survey of pharmacists.
- Reduce the risk of side effects by reading the directions to see the recommended treatment time, which is usually five days or less.
Cerumen, commonly referred to as earwax, is a waxy substance produced by glands in the ear canal. Earwax plays an essential role within the ear, helping to clean the ear canal and protect the inner ear.
Despite the importance of earwax for ear health and hearing, buildup of this waxy substance can result in a blockage. Also called cerumen impaction, an earwax blockage occurs when something interrupts your ear’s natural self-cleaning process. For example, cotton-tipped swabs can push earwax deeper into the ear canal and create a blockage.
An earwax blockage can have a number of symptoms. The symptoms vary depending on the individual and extent of the blockage in the ear. Possible symptoms include:
- Ear pain.
- Your ear feels plugged or full.
- Trouble hearing or hearing loss that worsens over time.
- Ringing in the ear.
- Itching.
- Odor or discharge.
- Coughing.
- Ear infection.
Everyone has some earwax, but too much can affect your hearing. Every year, around 12 million people in the U.S. go to the doctor because of bothersome earwax. Usually, people don't need to clean their ears to prevent earwax buildup because your ears naturally clean themselves. But in some cases, you might need to use an earwax removal kit at home or see a health care provider if you have a significant blockage.
The good news is that inexpensive products are available without a prescription to help relieve a mild earwax buildup in a safe, effective way. These products help thin, soften, break up or dissolve wax.
Over-the-counter earwax products typically fall into three basic groups:
- Water-based products.
- Oil-based products.
- Carbamide peroxide products.
Water-Based Products
Water-based earwax removal products hydrate and soften earwax to break up larger chunks for easier removal. As the name suggests, water-based options contain water and other active ingredients, such as:
- Glycerin: a slippery substance that creates an ideal consistency for ear drops.
- Sodium bicarbonate: commonly known as baking soda, it assists in softening earwax.
- Acetic acid solution: stops growth of microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungus.
- Docusate sodium liquid: dissolves earwax.
- Hydrogen peroxide solution: loosens earwax so it can be more easily removed.
Oil-Based Products
These work by softening earwax and lubricating the ear canal to help make wax removal easier. Oil-based products commonly include plant oils that help soften wax, such as:
- Lycopodium, an oil extract from the club moss plant.
- Almond oil.
- Olive oil.
- Peanut oil.
Carbamide Peroxide Products
The most recommended OTC products for earwax buildup contain the active ingredient carbamide peroxide. Carbamide peroxide drops help soften earwax by releasing oxygen, which makes it easier for wax to come out on its own. This product also provides a slight antibacterial effect. Interestingly, some physicians report better results with liquid docusate sodium, the same ingredient in the stool softener Colace, for softening wax.
Choosing an Earwax Product
Though the three groups of earwax treatments have different active ingredients, they all work similarly well in managing earwax blockage. Research shows that none of the products are significantly better than the others. However, studies suggest using an OTC earwax removal aid is likely better for your ears than doing nothing and ignoring the blockage.
It’s important to remember that any earwax removal treatment may take time to work. In most cases, people need to use a product for several days before they notice a change in their earwax blockage. So don't be disheartened if you don't feel immediate relief. Typically, individuals observe an improvement in earwax blockage by the fifth day of treatment.
Over-the-counter treatments for earwax blockage are generally safe for most people. Among the treatments, no product is known to cause more side effects than the others.
In studies of earwax removal aids, side effects were rare or nonexistent. However, some individuals report mild ear discomfort, irritation or pain when using the products. These side effects, especially irritation, might worsen if you use the product for a long time. It’s best to follow the recommended dose and length of treatment — usually five days or less — to avoid or reduce the severity of side effects.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery is a group of health care experts that treat conditions affecting the ear, nose and throat. The organization provides treatment guidelines for earwax blockage and warnings for patients who should not use over-the-counter earwax removal products. The products may be ineffective or dangerous for people with earwax blockage caused by:
- Skin-related diseases affecting the ear canal, such as dermatitis.
- Inflammation of the ear canal, such as “swimmer's ear.”
- Past surgeries involving the ear.
- Past radiation therapy of the ear.
- A buildup of a nonwax substance in the ear.
Earwax hardens throughout the aging process. Children typically have softer earwax, allowing for easier natural removal. However, because children age 11 and younger tend to have more ear-related health complications, such as ear infections or swimmer’s ear, you should consult a health care professional before using an earwax removal product on a child or infant.
Most OTC earwax removal products are safe to use in children ages 12 and older. Yet parents are still encouraged to consult a health care professional, especially if an ear infection or other ear-related condition could be related to an earwax blockage.
Home remedies for earwax blockage are not recommended. Studies suggest that home remedies like ear candling, which involves placing a lit candle into the ear canal, are less effective and more dangerous than over-the-counter alternatives. The American Academy of Otolaryngology reports that home remedies like ear candling frequently cause earwax blockages or worsen existing problems. Experts also advise against inserting instruments in your ear to remove wax. Instead, consult an ear, nose and throat physician or other health care provider.
Earwax blockage may not be treatable by over-the-counter products alone. In some cases, excessive quantities of wax or deep impaction into the ear canal result in blockages that OTC products can’t relieve.
Health care professionals recommend seeing a provider regarding earwax blockage before starting any over-the-counter product. These situations include:
- A child under 12 years old.
- A current or recent ear infection.
- A history of ear surgery or radiation involving the ear.
- History of a buildup of a nonwax substance in the ear.
- Current or recent swimmer’s ear or other inflammatory condition of the ear.
- A history of skin-related disease of the ear.
Visiting a health care provider may be necessary for people who do not notice much improvement within five days of using an OTC earwax removal product. Symptoms — such as hearing loss, discomfort or a feeling of fullness in the ear — should begin to resolve during the first five days of use. If your symptoms do not resolve or seem to worsen by the fifth day of treatment, see a health care provider to rule out an ear infection, other causes of hearing loss or another medical problem.
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Methodology
The Best OTC Medicine & Health Products are based on the reviews of nearly 500 independent pharmacists and dermatologists.
U.S. News partnered with The Harris Poll, a global market research and consulting firm with more than 65 years of experience conducting surveys. For the 2025 rankings, The Harris Poll randomly assigned 133 over-the-counter categories of health or personal care products to 357 pharmacists and 134 dermatologists who practice in the U.S. and asked them to rank their top three brands for each category based on what products they would most recommend to consumers.
Independence and transparency
Across the 133 categories that were evaluated, each category included between five and 10 products representing their respective brands that could be ranked. More than 1,100 products were included in the survey. The products included in each category were selected to represent their respective brands based on input by several independent pharmacists and dermatologists on our
Medical Review Board. The list of products were finalized by the health editorial team to ensure all products can be purchased without a prescription and are readily available at most pharmacies or pharmacy sections of grocery stores in the U.S.
We independently evaluate the products we recommend. Brands do not pay to be included or ranked in our survey. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. The dermatologists and pharmacists who participated in the survey were paid a small honorarium by The Harris Poll for their time.
OTC category winners
Pharmacists and dermatologists selected their top three brands from representative products in each OTC category assigned to them. At least 112 dermatologists evaluated each skincare-related category and at least 108 pharmacists evaluated each of the other categories. For each evaluation, the top-ranked brand received 5 points, the second-place brand was awarded 3 points and the third-place brand earned 1 point. All unranked brands were given 0 points. Points were averaged for each brand. The results were then rescaled so the winner in each category scored 100 points, and the scores for other brands were expressed as percentages of the top score. Brands were then ranked according to their rescaled scores. Scores were rounded to the nearest whole number.
Category winners and brands that scored within the margin of error of the category winner and achieved a score of 80 or higher were given a Gold Badge in that category. The results: 196 brands received a Gold Badge. In total, 849 products are displayed. Brands that received a score of less than 10 were not included in the final display list. See our full methodology here.
