Removing Candle-Wax

Having candles burning in your home creates a pleasant atmosphere, but when they accidentally get knocked over or spill over, removing this candle wax can be a challenge.

Candles can be lit virtually anywhere in the home, also in the bathroom while having a soothing bath. They are used on birthday cakes and at Christmas time and help to light up our lives at times.

Candle wax often spills on table cloths, tables, carpets and other items; it needs to be taken care of using the methods suggested here. This has nothing to do with removing wax used in body waxing, that is another matter and is not discussed in this article.

Lighting scented candles fills your home with wonderful aromas; they can be purchased in local stores these days or at craft markets. There are many dedicated candle makers out there and we enjoy their varied creations.

I have had candle wax spilling over onto table cloths and onto other items and needed to remove the wax. It also spills onto candlesticks themselves. It is possible to remove candle wax though; here are some ways to accomplish this.

Here are some methods for removing candle wax from different items.

Table Cloths

Put the cloth in the fridge freezer for 30 to 45 minutes in order to lower the temperature of the wax. Take the cloth out of the freezer and remove as much of the wax as possible with a plastic scraper. An old plastic shopping or credit card can also be used to do this.

Put paper towels or blotting paper over the stain; turn your clothing iron on to a low temperature. Now move your iron over the paper towels so as to allow the wax to be absorbed into the paper towels. Don’t spread the stain with the iron though. Use fresh paper towels if necessary when the others have become full of wax.

After completing this method of removing the mass of the candle wax, use a cleaning fluid purchased from a supermarket/store to remove the stain. Wash the tablecloth after this.

Wooden Objects

These are usually objects such as tables, chairs, floors and desks.

Place some ice cubes on the wax to lower its temperature; scrape as much off as you are able to, using a plastic scraper or plastic card as previously mentioned.

Remove the rest of the wax with dish-washing liquid mixed with water and rub the wooden surface with a cloth. Apply wood polish afterwards rubbing it into the wood with a cloth.

Carpets

This also requires that you place ice cubes on the wax, freezing the area where the wax has spilt on your carpet. Remove as much wax as possible from the carpet using a plastic scraper.

Use a cleaning fluid for cleaning wax stains to remove any residue that might be left on the carpet. This can be done with a cloth or old towel.

You can also use rubbing alcohol diluted with water to remove the stain. Dab the area with a cloth, repeating this process a number of times if necessary.

Walls

Put a few paper towels over the wax, heat your iron to a low temperature and iron over the towels. Do this repeatedly until the wax has been absorbed into the paper towels. Use fresh paper when necessary. Try not to damage the paint on the wall or it may need to be repainted.

Candle Holders

Put the candle holders in the freezer until the wax is cold; remove the wax with tap water.

Removing candle wax is not always very easy, but with some care and using the right method, it can be accomplished successfully. Damage to surfaces is the main problem that might occur when attempting to remove candle wax.