Find an earwax removal clinic near you
The Earwax Clinic Network is a UK-wide directory of independent ear care clinics. Every listing shows you the practitioner's professional background, registration where they hold it, training, methods offered and indicative pricing, so you can see what underpins each service before you call. Patient access is free.
Find a clinic near youWhat's regulated, what isn't, and what that means for you
Anyone in the UK can advertise an earwax removal service. The procedure itself is not a regulated activity in most settings, which means there is no single licence everyone offering the service has to hold, and the equipment is openly available from B2B suppliers.
Some practitioners choose to operate within one of the UK's statutory registers. Audiologists and hearing aid dispensers are accountable to the Health and Care Professions Council. Nurses are accountable to the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Doctors are accountable to the General Medical Council. Pharmacists are accountable to the General Pharmaceutical Council. Audiologists who trained through the clinical physiology route are accountable to the Academy for Healthcare Science. A significant number of practitioners offering earwax removal in the UK are not on any of these registers.
If a practitioner holds one of these registrations, you can look them up. You can see their qualifications, any conduct decisions made about them, and the standards they are required to meet. If they are not on a register, that public record does not exist - which is not, in itself, a reason to avoid them. Many capable practitioners operate outside the statutory framework. It is, however, a reason to ask what training and oversight sit behind the service.
That difference is what our directory is built to make visible. Each listing shows you the practitioner's professional background, registration where they hold it, training, methods, indemnity and indicative pricing - so you have the information to decide before you call.
Verify a practitioner via these UK registers and professional bodies
Each clinic profile shows you which register or professional body the listed practitioner is on.
CQC registration is required for any clinic offering earwax removal to people under 19, outside of a school or academy setting.
The icons above are non-official verification marks. They do not imply endorsement by any regulator or professional body.
What our listings show you
Every clinic on our directory carries a profile with the following information before you ever call:
This isn't a vetted directory in the sense that we vouch for any individual clinician's clinical performance. We can't, and we don't claim to. What we do is show you the same factual checks you could make yourself if you knew which registers to look at and which questions to ask.
Three evidence-based methods, matched to the patient
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recognises three approaches to earwax removal in primary care and community settings. Each has appropriate uses. The right one for any individual depends on factors the practitioner assesses at the appointment - the type of wax, the shape of the ear canal, any history of perforation or surgery, and whether you've used softening drops beforehand.
Microsuction
Microsuction uses a gentle suction probe with a microscope or endoscope, so the practitioner can see the canal as they work. It is performed without water, which makes it suitable for patients with a history of perforation, recent ear infection, or grommets. It is the most common private method offered in the UK.
Ear irrigation
Ear irrigation uses a controlled, low-pressure stream of warm water from an electronic irrigation machine. Modern irrigation has replaced traditional syringing and is gentler and more controlled. It is well-suited to softer wax and to canals where suction would be uncomfortable. It is not appropriate after a recent perforation or active infection.
Manual removal
Manual removal uses small instruments such as a probe, curette or forceps to lift wax under direct vision, usually in combination with microsuction or irrigation. It is especially useful for very firm or impacted wax that other methods can't shift.
A good practitioner uses whichever combination is right for the patient that day. The method matters less than whether the person performing it is trained, accountable, and acting within their scope.
UK adults need professional earwax removal each year.
Source: Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) UK research, 2025How the directory works
Search by postcode or town
Enter your area on our interactive map. Clinics within a sensible distance appear as pins.
Read the practitioner's profile
You'll see qualifications, registration, methods offered and pricing before you commit to anything.
Call the clinic directly
The number on each profile is a tracked line we assign to that clinic, but it routes the call straight to the practitioner. You are speaking to them, not to us.
There is no patient sign-up, no account to create, and no charge for using the directory. Clinics pay a fee to be listed.
Find a clinic near youWhat does earwax removal cost in the UK?
Most clinics on the directory charge between £40 and £80 for a standard appointment. London and city-centre clinics tend to be at the upper end of that range; smaller towns and community-based providers tend to be at the lower end.
No wax found
Some clinics charge a reduced fee, usually £20 to £50, if examination shows no wax is present and no procedure is performed. Each clinic's no-wax fee is shown on its directory profile. Some clinics will also offer further hearing and tympanometry assessments and may charge for those extra diagnostic tests, which can include a professional referral letter.
Home visits are offered by some practitioners for an additional fee. Same-day appointments are commonly available, especially mid-week and outside peak hours.
Frequently asked questions
Who can remove earwax in the UK?
Anyone in the UK can perform earwax removal. Some practitioners choose to work within one of the UK's statutory registers - the Health and Care Professions Council for hearing aid dispensers and audiologists, the Academy for Healthcare Science for audiologists trained through the clinical physiology route, the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nurses, the General Medical Council for doctors, or the General Pharmaceutical Council for pharmacists. Many do not. Practitioners on a register can be checked publicly. Practitioners who are not on a register cannot, which is not a reason to avoid them but is a reason to ask what training and oversight sit behind the service.
Is microsuction the safest method of earwax removal?
All three evidence-based methods - microsuction, ear irrigation and manual removal - are safe when performed by a trained practitioner on a patient who has been assessed beforehand. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence does not rank one above the others. The right method depends on the individual and is chosen by the practitioner at the appointment.
Do I need to use ear drops before my appointment?
It depends on the method and the practitioner. Most clinics recommend a short course of olive oil or a similar pharmacy-bought softening agent for two to three days before microsuction or irrigation, especially if the wax is firm. Some practitioners prefer to assess the wax first and advise from there.
What happens if there's no wax to remove?
Most clinics charge a smaller examination fee in this case, typically £20 to £50. The practitioner will still examine the ear and explain what they find. Each clinic's no-wax fee is shown on its directory profile. Some clinics are able to investigate further with hearing and tympanometry assessments and may charge for the extra diagnostic tests, which can include a professional referral letter.
Is the call I make through this directory going to the clinic, or to you?
To the clinic. The number on each profile is a tracked line we assign to that location, but it routes the call directly to the practitioner. You speak to them, not to us. We use the tracking to confirm which enquiries came through the directory.
Are children's appointments available?
Some clinics offer earwax removal for children, and others see only adults. Any clinic offering services to people under 19 must be registered with the Care Quality Commission, except where the service is arranged through a school or 16-19 academy. Where age restrictions apply, they are noted on the clinic's profile.
Find a clinic near you
A few seconds on the map will show you who is available in your area, with full credentials visible on every listing.
Find a clinicReferences
- Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID). Ear care research and access campaign, 2025.
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Hearing loss in adults: assessment and management. NG98, 2018.
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Standards of conduct, performance and ethics. Available at hcpc-uk.org.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC). Guidance on the scope of registration. Available at cqc.org.uk.