If you shower regularly and wash the parts of your ears that you can reach (as one does) you won't have problems with loose wax falling out of your ears during the day.
OTOH, using Q-tips after I shower prevents it from ever being a problem and clears out the water that might otherwise feel odd on occasion when it doesn't dry quickly for some reason (I'm guessing due to excess wax buildup). I've tried hydrogen peroxide, but it takes much longer, wasn't particularly effective, makes me dizzy, and also doesn't always dry. Q-tips work and have never caused me trouble.
P.S. Neat trick: if you pull your ear up and back a bit, your canal straightens.