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Simple ways to get wax off clothes, carpet, furniture, and floors
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Wax stains may appear to ruin an item, but we're here to help. There are plenty of ways to remove wax from fabrics, hard surfaces, and more. For instance, you can freeze the item and scrape off the wax or use a blow dryer to heat the wax before wiping it away. Check out the guide below to learn all the tips and tricks you need to get rid of wax quickly and efficiently.
Things You Should Know
- Place small glass, plastic, or metal items in the freezer to cool the wax enough to scrape it off.
- Apply heat from a blow dryer to wax hardened on hardwood flooring, tables, or other hard surfaces before wiping it up with a paper towel.
- Put ice on carpet to chill the wax, scrape it off with a butter knife, and then wipe any residue away with a carpet cleaner.
Steps
Section 1 of 4:
How to Remove Wax from Plastic, Marble & Metal
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Scrape as much wax off as you can. If there’s a lot of wax on your item, use a butter knife to get as much off as possible. [1] X Research source This method works best when trying to clean small items made of plastic, glass, ceramic, steel, vinyl, cast iron, and marble. [2] X Research source
- Avoid using this method of removing wax on fabric or clothing, as scraping it could drive it deeper into the fibers and make it harder to clean up.
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Put your item in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Placing your item in a cold environment will harden the wax, making it easier to remove. If you have a chest or deep freezer, you may even be able to freeze large items, like candlesticks, to help remove the wax. [3] X Research source
- If the item is too large to fit in the freezer, wrap ice cubes or ice packs in an absorbent towel and apply them to the wax to cool it.
- The longer you freeze the item, the easier it’ll likely be to remove the wax.
- Check to see if the wax has hardened by looking at its color. If it’s turned darker and more opaque, it’s probably cooled.
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Chip off the frozen wax with a butter knife. Hold a butter knife parallel to the item that the wax is on, then slowly scrape or pop it off. The wax will loosen, flaking and chipping away with ease. If you don’t want to risk damaging your item with the knife, use a credit card instead. [4] X Research source -
Wash your item to remove any wax residue. Gently scrub your item with an all-purpose cleaner and a toothbrush to remove any leftover wax. This is especially important if you’re removing wax from a household item, like a glass or dish. [5] X Research source
- If you’re cleaning wax off furniture, simply wipe it down with a clean cloth.
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Section 3 of 4:
How to Remove Wax from Counters, Tables & Other Hard Surfaces
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Heat wax on counters, tables, or other hard surfaces with a blow dryer. Sometimes, there’s no way you can put something in the freezer or cool it down enough to scrape the wax off. If that’s the case, try using heat instead. [12] X Research source Set your blow dryer to a hot setting and aim it directly at the stain. Keep the blow dryer a few inches from the surface to avoid scorching the material. Try not to blow the wax around—it's easier to wipe up if it's all in one puddle. [13] X Research source
- Never use heat on glass (which can break) or synthetic fabrics (which can melt).
- Avoid using heat on fabric, as it can melt the wax and spread the stain.
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Wipe the wax off with a paper towel or old rag. Carefully scoop up the melted wax with a paper towel or rag, trying to get all of the wax up at the same time. If there’s still wax left over, use a plastic credit card to help lift it up. [14] X Research source
- Wax can be difficult to get out of the cloth or towel you use to wipe up the mess, so be sure not to use your nice towels.
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Remove leftover residue with an all-purpose cleaner. If there's a film of wax left over after removing the wax, get rid of it with a little spray cleaner and a sponge. Squirt or spray an all-purpose cleaner on the area and wipe it up with a damp rag or sponge. If you're working on a fragile surface (like a fine wooden tabletop), use a gentle cleaner to avoid damaging the material. [15] X Research source
- If there’s still more wax left on the surface, try repeating the removal process until all the wax is lifted.
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Section 4 of 4:
How to Remove Wax from Fabrics & Clothing
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Cover the wax with paper towels, then iron the fabric. Remove wax from clothing or other fabric items by setting your iron to medium heat and placing a few paper towels over the wax. Gently rub the iron back and forth over the waxy area to gradually melt it. As the towels soak up the wax, replace them with new ones until all of the wax is gone. [16] X Research source
- Make sure you use white paper towels without any designs to avoid transferring color to your fabric.
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Rub the area with ice, then wash your item. Take an ice cube and rub it on the wax until it gets hard. Then, use a butter knife to scrape off the hard wax and throw it away. When most of the wax is gone, run the fabric through a wash cycle to get rid of any residue. [17] X Research source
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Sponge the fabric with an upholstery cleaner . Spray the waxy area with an upholstery cleaner and allow it to dry. Use a sponge or a paper towel to blot the cleaner and the wax, then spray more cleaner on. You can keep doing this until the wax is completely gone. [18] X Research source
- If you can wash the fabric, run it through a wash cycle to remove any residue.
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Mix alcohol and water for tough fabric stains. If you’ve scraped, washed, and scrubbed your fabric and a waxy residue remains, mix 2 parts of rubbing alcohol with 2 parts of water. Sponge the area lightly, then rinse it out with cool water. Keep repeating this until your fabric looks brand new again. [19] X Research source
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Dry clean linen if it’s stained. Linen fabric is delicate and doesn’t hold up well under deep scrubbing. If there’s still an oily residue on your item, take it to a dry cleaner and have the experts fix it for you. [20] X Research source
- Washing and drying linen at home can warp the fabric, so it’s best to take it to a professional.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do I remove wax from a painted wall?Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.Heat up the wax, using something like a hair dryer, to get it to melt. Then, wipe it away with a clean cloth and clean the wall with an all-purpose cleaner that is safe to use on paint.
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QuestionHow do I remove candle wax from vinyl fabric on outdoor furniture?Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.Let the wax cool and harden before trying to remove it. Then, scrape it off with a plastic-edged item like a credit card. Clean the furniture with fabric cleaner to remove any residue.
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Warnings
- Hair dryers can burn cloth if held too close to the fabric, especially on high heat.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/a21739/candle-wax-removal-tips/
- ↑ https://site.extension.uga.edu/textiles/care/stain-removal/remove-stains-from-candle-wax-paraffin/
- ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/a21739/candle-wax-removal-tips/
- ↑ https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-to-get-wax-out-of-a-candle-jar
- ↑ https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-to-get-wax-out-of-a-candle-jar
- ↑ https://web.extension.illinois.edu/stain/staindetail.cfm?ID=157
- ↑ https://site.extension.uga.edu/textiles/care/stain-removal/remove-stains-from-candle-wax-paraffin/
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-candle-wax/
- ↑ https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/poison/mineral-spirits-poisoning
- ↑ https://site.extension.uga.edu/textiles/care/stain-removal/remove-stains-from-candle-wax-paraffin/
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-candle-wax/
- ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/tools/21015161/how-to-get-wax-off-any-surface
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-candle-wax/
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-candle-wax/
- ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/a21739/candle-wax-removal-tips/
- ↑ https://site.extension.uga.edu/textiles/care/stain-removal/remove-stains-from-candle-wax-paraffin/
- ↑ https://web.extension.illinois.edu/stain/staindetail.cfm?ID=157
- ↑ https://site.extension.uga.edu/textiles/care/stain-removal/remove-stains-from-candle-wax-paraffin/
- ↑ https://site.extension.uga.edu/textiles/care/stain-removal/remove-stains-from-candle-wax-paraffin/
- ↑ https://www.marthastewart.com/272775/removing-wax-stains
About This Article
Article Summary
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To remove candle wax, start by putting the stained item in the freezer for at least an hour so the wax hardens. Then, take the item out of the freezer and use the edge of a credit card to scrape the hardened wax off of it. If you're working with fabric, machine wash it after you scrape the wax off to get rid of any leftover residue. If you're working with a hard surface that won't fit in the freezer, melt the wax using a blow dryer and then wipe it off with a paper towel.
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Reader Success Stories
- "I dumped a candle on a very embedded tile and thought I'd never get it out. I used a paper towel and a steam iron, and it all came up. I also used it on the woven wicker table it hit, and it all came off. Great help articles, because I didn't have a clue." ..." more
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"I dumped a candle on a very embedded tile and thought I'd never get it out. I used a paper towel and a steam iron, and it all came up. I also used it on the woven wicker table it hit, and it all came off. Great help articles, because I didn't have a clue."
..."
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"I've been cleaning my room and found some puddles of solid wax on my windowsill, I Googled how to remove it and this article came up. The hairdryer method worked really well and I will surly use it again in the future. "
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"Accidentally spilled wax from a candle and had a mess all over. It is so easy to clean up the mess with the hair dryer. Million thanks for the tip!"
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"Blow dryer one worked perfectly. Put it on for a few seconds, wiped, and magic!"
"Three ways to remove wax was helpful. The one I chose worked. Thank you."
