Candles have long been considered romantic, but an accident can easily leave you with a mess to clean up. Using candles during the holidays inevitably leads to the question of how to remove candle wax stains from carpets, fabrics, or hardwood floors. Luckily, most candle wax is easily removed from all surfaces with the proper cleaning method. The process is surprisingly easy – as long as you work with the wax stains’ unique properties.
How to Remove Stains from Hardwood Floor
What You’ll Need
- Ice cube
- Butter knife
- Wood polish cream
- Shammy
Instructions
Learning how to remove candle wax stains from hardwood floors begins by applying the ice cube to the spill. Let the wax harden with the help of the ice. Once this process is completed, gently scrape off the wax with a butter knife. Be careful not to chip or pit the wood! Finish up by buffing the affected area with creamy wood polish and a shammy.
Remove Carpet Stains Caused by Candle Wax
What You’ll Need
- Ice cube
- Credit card
- Paper towels
- Paper lunch sack
- Iron
Instructions
Remove candle wax stains on carpets by initially freezing the wax as outlined above. Use the credit card edge to loosen the wax and slip if off the carpet fibers. Once the hardened pieces are gone, it is time to remove the stains caused by the smaller wax particles that still remain.
Place the paper towels onto the spot and put the paper lunch sack on top of them, plug in the iron and gently apply heat to the paper. The goal is to liquefy the wax and allow the porous paper towels to soak it up. Repeat this process until no more wax transfers from the carpet onto the paper.
A Word on Removing the Color of Candle Wax Stains
What You’ll Need
- White vinegar
- Water
- Absorbent white paper towels
Instructions
Check the fabric for colorfastness in an inconspicuous spot. Wet the area slightly with water and then apply white vinegar to a white paper towel. Blot – do not rub! – the colored spot. Generally speaking, white vinegar will bleach the color right out of the fabric.
If the stain is red, it might be more persistent. It is possible to attack a red wax stain shadow with rubbing alcohol, but checking the makeup of the fabric’s colorfastness is a must!
Warning!
It is tempting to remove candle wax stains with hot water. Resist the urge to follow through; granted, you will melt the wax, but you also spread it further onto the fabric, wood or carpet. Freezing – not melting – is the first step to take when learning how to remove stains caused by candle wax.
