Earwax Removal

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Professional Earwax Removal in North Vancouver

At Hear at Home, our earwax removal services are available to both existing clients and the general public. You do not need to be a hearing aid client to book an appointment.

We provide safe, clinically appropriate earwax removal using professional equipment and regulated care standards. Whether you’re experiencing blocked ears, reduced hearing, or discomfort, we’re here to help.

For those who have purchased hearing aids through our clinic, earwax management is also part of your ongoing hearing care. Regular removal can help maintain performance and extend the life of your devices.

Why Proper Earwax Removal Matters

Earwax plays an important role in protecting your ears. But when it builds up, it can lead to:

  • Muffled or reduced hearing
  • A feeling of fullness or blockage
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
  • Dizziness or balance issues
  • Earaches or irritation
  • Reduced hearing aid performance

Trying to remove earwax at home, especially with cotton swabs, often pushes wax deeper and can cause damage. Professional removal is the safest and most effective option.

What Does Earwax Removal Cost?

To secure your appointment, a $50 non refundable deposit is required for an in-clinic appointment. If earwax removal is necessary during your visit, it’s priced at $150. The non-refundable deposit will be credited to the final ear wax removal fee. For a mobile appointment, please call us to confirm availability of this service and cost.

What Is Earwax?

What is Earwax and Why Does It Get Built Up?

Cerumen, a.k.a. earwax, is a sticky, wax-like oil produced by glands in your ears that lubricates and cleans out dirt and debris from your ear canal.

Because of the natural benefits it provides and the potential damage you can cause to your ears by trying to dig out earwax, it’s best to let a hearing care professional deal with your earwax the right way.

Excessive earwax build-up can be the result of narrow ear canals, loss of elasticity and aging, the use of cotton swabs to clean ears, living/working in dusty environments and even hearing aid use itself.

Consequently, those who wear hearing aids need to be diligent about cleaning your hearing aids on a daily basis to prevent damage caused by earwax.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of Earwax Buildup

Earwax usually clears itself from your ears when you chew or talk, but it can accumulate and cause blockage and irritation, producing symptoms like:

hear-at-home-ear-observation

Our earwax removal specialist not only has the expertise, experience and equipment to deal with your earwax the right way, but if the production of excessive earwax is an ongoing issue, we can also recommend specific products designed to reduce earwax without interrupting or upsetting the delicate balance of necessary earwax production.

How Does It Work?

Before earwax removal, your hearing specialist will complete a comprehensive case history and perform a visual inspection of your ear by using a video otoscope. These measures help your hearing specialist view the extent of blockage and determine the safest and most effective method of earwax removal.

The licensed and trained professionals at Hear at Home offer two methods of cerumen removal: irrigation and manual removal.

Earigator: A Safe, Effective, Advanced Solution for Earwax Removal (In Clinic Only)

Earigator is our first option for attacking built-up and impacted earwax in order to provide greater safety, more effective removal, and the highest level of comfort for our patients. Imagine the feeling of warm water massaging your ear without the lingering pain that sometimes comes after using traditional methods. Earigator provides safe, effective, targeted earwax removal that takes between three and five minutes. This advanced earwax removal technique encourages those who wear hearing aids, use earplugs, or frequently struggle with impacted earwax to schedule regular earwax removal appointments because it brings quick relief and provides a pleasant experience.

Irrigation (spray wash system)

A low-pressure irrigation system is used to remove wax from the ear. Rather than spraying water directly at the eardrum (potentially unsafe), this technique allows for the canal to be safely washed instead. As the water exits the ear canal, so will the cerumen; both will collect in a catch basin. This method of treatment is painless and easy; however, it should only be performed on clients with healthy eardrums.

Manual removal (use of a curette)

A thin lit, one-time-use tool is used to gently scoop, pull or extract the cerumen from the ear canal. The curette can be angled and is of varying lengths. This method of earwax removal is often recommended when a client does not have healthy eardrums.

Microsuction (In Clinic Only)

Microsuction offers an alternative to irrigation for removing earwax buildup. Using a small suction device and constant visual guidance, wax is gently removed without water. This method can be a good option depending on the type and texture of earwax, as some waxes respond better to suction than to irrigation. The process is quick and effective, leaving the ears feeling refreshed.

ROUTINE

Regular Treatments

Are you prone to excessive wax buildup or have you had cerumen removed in the past? If so, Hear at Home recommends that you have your ears routinely checked and cleaned. A discussion surrounding safe and unsafe at-home treatment plans always follows an earwax removal appointment.

Earwax Removal regular-treatments

At-Home Earwax Removal Measures

Some safe and effective measures to manage earwax build-up at home include the use of softening agents such as mineral oil and following these steps:

This process will help soften the wax so that it works its way out of your ears naturally.

Unsafe Earwax Removal Measures

Hear at Home does not recommend the use of traditional cotton swabs (Q-tips) as they can often push existing wax further into your ears. Cerumen management should be done without causing any harm and should only be performed by a trained professional. Although it cannot be done without risk, the trained and licensed professionals at Hear at Home pledge to always acknowledge and mitigate the risks associated with cerumen removal. Consent can be revoked at any time during the procedure. If the circumstances surrounding your wax build-up are not within our scope of practice (wax is far too impacted, etc.), we will refer you to your GP (General Physician). This is considered best practice and is in the best interest of you, the client.

CLIENT STORIES

No matter what happens in the world, these people remain the center of ours.

  • Very satisfying. This crew definitely knows what they are doing.

    R McTagg Avatar R McTagg
    April 20, 2025

    Unbelievably fantastic service! Professional, polite, gentle with results. Thank you for helping my family member!

    L K Avatar L K
    December 20, 2024

    It was so reassuring to have my hearing tested by the wonderful team at Hear… read more

    Melanie Steele Avatar Melanie Steele
    December 20, 2024
  • As a long term client with Hear at Home, it’s amazing to work with this… read more

    Simon Manvell Avatar Simon Manvell
    October 24, 2024

    Jennifer was thoughtful, kind, efficient and warm. She treated my 87 year old Dad… read more

    Jessy Fraser Avatar Jessy Fraser
    March 2, 2026

    The service received at Hear at Home Mobile Hearing Clinic, especially Emma, was outstanding! I… read more

    Alan Moir Avatar Alan Moir
    June 24, 2025
  • Beautiful, clean clinic. Staff are super friendly! Jennifer seems professional and always thinking about different… read more

    Claudia Chen Avatar Claudia Chen
    July 30, 2025

    Professional, friendly, and efficient. My ear cleaning was handled with care and expertise. Highly recommend… read more

    keith watson Avatar keith watson
    February 12, 2026

    Update!! Recently I contacted Jennifer to assist me in finding hearing options for an out of… read more

    Deborah Guspie Avatar Deborah Guspie
    December 20, 2024

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If you’re homebound, struggle with mobility or are concerned about your safety in public, but need the advanced hearing healthcare a hearing specialist can provide, Hear at Home has you covered.