I clean my ears first thing in the morning. Ear wax is still soft when you've been lying down all night. Go gently though. Keep Qtips on your nightstand.
Best audio tweak ever, especially for the over 60s
Get your ears dewaxed at least once a year. After I had the procedure I had to wind back the volume on my amp and iPhone by about 30%. Detail improvement was also incredible. Much cheaper than a $5000 DAC.