Believe it or not, the best thing I have found to clean earbuds (and phone jacks) is a soft-bristle brush like a toothbrush ($8 for six). Use this dry at first, and with a little bit of distilled and deionized water ($17 per gallon) or isopropyl alcohol ($10 for 32 oz) if anything is too stubborn to get out of the ear holes. Make sure to dry your earbuds with a microfiber cloth after.
When I did eventually get the test, I found out what was really happening to me. I learned that a build-up of earwax ( don't use Q-tips!) had immobilized one of my eardrums completely. After the somewhat uncomfortable removal, the test was rerun. I do have some hearing loss, which isn't unusual at 72, but the audiologist feels I'm years away from needing hearing aids.