How do you clean earwax from earplugs? Or are earplugs one-time use?

It depends on what kind you are using. Many are disposable/ for one-time use, though you can typically get away with using them a few times. If they are foam, which many of this variety are, you wont be able clean them with (hot) water, as it will cause them to expand, rendering them more or less inefficient. If you want a pair you can clean with hot water and reuse many times, try earplugs designed for swimmers. They are comfortable, quick to plug, usually come with a nifty case, and come in radical neon colors.

Olive oil should help , tho most ear plugs are throw away and very cheap . If you wanted tho use olive oil it gets behind the wax , it makes it come away from the plug you could also just get a cloth place plug in cloth twist and rub . It is afterall only going back in your ear .

Foam earplugs are intended to be disposable for single use. I have a friend who attends many heavy metal concerts, and he buys them in a huge jug of 100!

If you need to wear plugs regularly, your best option is to see your friendly neighborhood Audiologist and get custom molded plugs. The cost will vary depending on the intended use. Basic solid or floating swim plugs, which also offer maximum noise attenuation, cost $75–100. Specially filtered plugs for musicians/music lovers that attenuated sound more evenly are $150–200. Custom silicone molds will last for years, and can be washed with warm, soapy water (filters, if any, need to be removed before washing).

I love the musicians plugs and wear them frequently, because they are like turning the volume down three notches… I am able to enjoy the music better, and I can even hear conversation better over the background noise.

As others have said, the foam earplugs are one-time use (I was given this type on a plane journey) but you can buy plastic sound-reducing earplugs that can be re-used very cheaply from chemists. They look like they are ribbed. Mine get waxy after one use too, and you can just wash them with warm water and soap ‘til they’re as good as new.

I’m talking specifically about the foam ones, which are usually bright orange or yellow. So they are one-time use, eh?

I would buy swim plugs, but will I be able to sleep with them? I only go to concerts once or twice a year, so I primarily need them to sleep properly.

@drdoombot: Yes, you can sleep in swim plugs. If you get custom molds, make sue you explain that they are for sleeping do they will be recessed for comfort.