Candles are beautiful to look at and can really create a relaxing atmosphere, but the wax they leave behind is anything but relaxing. We have compiled a comprehensive list of how you remove wax from every surface so that the wax doesn’t ruin the mood. This is what we found.
How to remove candle wax? Scrape away any excess wax. Lay a damp cloth over the wax-stained area and apply light pressure and medium heat with a clothing iron. The cloth will begin to absorb the wax from the affected surface. Clean up any remaining residue with a mild detergent and a new damp cloth.
Not all surfaces are the same though, and you need different strategies in different situations. Let’s take a look at what you can do to remove wax from any surface.
Vinyl Flooring
How to remove candle wax from vinyl flooring? Scrape up any large chunks of excess wax you can easily get. Then soak the area with hot water and your favorite floor cleaner of choice. Let it soak for a few minutes and then wipe it up with a dry cloth. Repeat the process if necessary.
Wood
How to remove candle wax from wood? Place an ice-pack on the wax affected area to harden the wax. Scrape away any excess wax with an expired debit card or similar object. Finish cleaning up the residue with a dry cloth and your favorite furniture wax.
Glass
How to remove candle wax from glass? Scrape away excess wax. Heat remaining wax with a blow dryer and wipe the surface with a dry cloth as the wax melts. Clean the surface with hot water and soap to remove residue, then finish it with your window cleaner of choice.
Leather Furniture
How to remove candle wax from leather furniture? Gently warm the wax with a blow dryer and wipe it away with a warm damp cloth taking care not to overheat the leather. Then wipe away the residue with a damp cloth and mild soap and then treat the area with your leather furniture treatment of choice.
Car Seats
How to remove candle wax from car seats? Scrape away excess wax. Then place a damp cloth on top of the wax stained area and gently run an iron over it on medium heat to soak up the wax. Take a kettle with hot water and slowly pour it on the wax residue, forcing the wax from the surface down into the seat. Repeat if necessary. Then clean with upholstery cleaner.
Carpet
How to remove candle wax from the carpet? Place an ice-pack on top of the wax affected area to harden it, then break it up with a spoon. Vacuum up the chunks of wax before they can soften. Shampoo with the area with wax residue using hot water and manufacturer suggested cleaning solution.
Paitned Walls
How to remove candle wax from painted walls? Use a blow dryer to apply medium heat, wiping away the wax with a clean cloth as it melts. Then the residue from the paint using a mixture of 3 parts water and 1 part vinegar. Repeat the process as necessary.
Table Cloth
How to remove candle wax from a table cloth? Scrape away excess wax. Then place the table cloth between two layers of brown paper bags or paper towels. Iron it with a clothing iron at a low temperature and change the paper as many times as necessary. Then launder according to manufacturers recommendation.
Clothes
How to remove candle wax from clothes? Place clothing in the refrigerator or freezer to harden the wax. Then bend the fabric to break up the wax and remove as much as possible. Then pour hot water through the wax affected area to rinse out wax residue. Rub in liquid laundry detergent and then wash in warm or hot water.
Fabric Furniture
How to remove candle wax from fabric furniture? Scrape away excess wax. Then place a folded brown paper bag over the wax affected area. Iron with medium heat soaking wax into the paper. Change the paper as many times as necessary, until it comes away clean. Then blot the wax residue area with denatured alcohol.
Stone
How to remove candle wax from stone? Place an ice-pack on the wax spill until it hardens. Scrape up as much as you can with an expired debit card. Dampen a washcloth with warm water and dish liquid. Clean up any wax residue and then dry the area with a dry cloth. Buff out any leftover streaks.
Wax Removal Tips
Here are some things to keep in mind when dealing with wax spills.
Don’t let the wax sit. Some wax is dyed and the longer it sits the greater chance it can stain whatever it has been spilled on.
So get started on removing the wax spill as soon as you find it.
Ice-packs Are Your Friend. Wax may be an ooey-gooey mess, but an ice pack goes a long way in making the cleanup process a lot easier.
Blot, Don’t Rub. When you are trying to clean up some of the wax residues in a wax-affected area make sure that you blot and do not rub. Rubbing the area can grind the wax in further or even spread it across the surface.
The Best Offense Is A Good Defense. Make sure any area that you will be burning candles has an adequate cover from now on. Alternately, you can make sure your candles are in a container that does not leak. Containers such as jars or tumblers.
You should also look in to the mirrors used in centerpieces at weddings and other types of candle displays. They are cheap on Amazon, you can find them for as cheap as $2 each.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soak the wax affected area in hot water with a mild detergent. Then wipe the melting wax away with a dry paper towel. Once the wax is clear of the surface, clean the affected area with your choice of cleaner.
Warm the wax with a blow dryer, wiping it up with a paper towel. Then using a microfiber towel and a mid cleaning detergent to clean up any remaining waxy residue.
A variety of solvents will dissolve candle wax, including acetone. In addition, many people have success in using vinegar to clean up waxy residue.
Wax does not come out in the washing machine. Water coming from your hot water heater into your washing machine is usually not hot enough to melt the candle wax. Heat some hot water up on the stove top or in the microwave with a mild detergent and prewash any wax-affected clothing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, every waxy situation has a process to help you get it cleaned up effectively and quickly. Just follow the processes included in this article and you should be able to rest easy.
