How to Remove Candle Wax From Just About Any Surface

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No matter their placement — on the mantel , beside the bathtub , or on the dining table — lit candles right away produce an atmosphere of relaxation . During the vacation season , kindling candles becomes a festive tradition as folks adorn their homes with the joyful glow of candlelight . In fact , the demand for candles spike during the holiday . According to theNational Candle Association , just about 35 per centum of candle sales occur during the winter vacation time of year .

As beautiful as a candlelit infinite can be , the wake can be frustrative if your candles bequeath behind drip or pools of stubborn , hard - to - budge wax . While there ’s no undivided , universal result , it ’s pretty well-heeled to remove candle wax using common household item , as long as you know which method works best for which wax - covered surface . before , learn how to absent candle wax from the surfaces where it most often lands .

Many lit canldes on a table in a dim room, casting a golden glow.

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1. Cotton Fabric

The Fix : Clothes Iron

To free your cotton plant tablecloth from stubborn wax , toss the tablecloth into the freezer . Once the wax has cooled , lift it away with a knife . If the wax has left a smear , lay a brown paper bag over the grunge , and then press an iron ( hardening on eminent heat ) over the bag . The discolouration should transfer from the fabric to the paper .

2. Metal

The Fix : Boiling Water

If wax has dribble onto a metallic element candle holder , there ’s an easy way to restore the metallic element to its pristine commonwealth . Simply boil a can of water ( enough water to altogether inundate the candlestick ) , and then , after turn off the burner , place the candlestick into the stool . As the water cool down , the wax slides off the metal . Once the weewee has returned to way temperature , polish off the candlestick , and wipe aside any residuary wax with a diffused cloth . Do not use this method acting on antique or weight superlative silver medal candle holder , however , as the uttermost hotness may damage them .

If you ’re adjudicate to take away wax light wax from a large metallic element object that does n’t fit into a pot , you’re able to use a blow drier to unfreeze the wax off the candlestick . Be sure to put down a cloth to catch the wax .

Table decorated with plates with beads and candles on a white tablecloth and cherries and cheese on a cutting board.

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3. Carpet

The Fix : Ice

Fill a plastic udder with shabu cubes , and then place the udder over the wax . After waiting several minutes for the wax to coolheaded , use a butter tongue to revoke the wax away from the rug . Once you ’ve separated the harden wax from the carpet fibers , use the upholstery fastening to vacuum up the small , hard bit left in the wad . in the end , moisten a flaccid cloth with rub alcohol and dab away any discoloration .

4. Vinyl

The Fix : Mineral Spirits

Because vinyl radical is prostrate to discolouration , it ’s best not to subjugate it to any handling that involves high rut . A right stake is to place an ice cube - packed plastic travelling bag over the unnatural surface area . Let the bag sit for several moment , which should be long enough to tauten up the wax . Then , dislodge the hardened wax with a blunt - edged kitchen spoonful . ( Do not use a sharp objective that could damage the vinyl . ) If the wax leave any discolouration , saturate a cotton ball with mineral spirits and wipe away the discoloration .

5. Wood Furniture and Floors

The Fix : acetum

A good and quick way to remove standard candle wax from wood is to hold a blow drier ( set on medium ) a few inches away from the wax . When the wax becomes soft , dab it aside with a soft textile . To prevent smirch on tripping - colored Ellen Price Wood , moisten the cloth beforehand with a variety of 1 part acetum and 2 parts piss . The same methods work for removing candle wax from hardwood floors .

6. Leather

The Fix : Blow Dryer

The samara to reestablish leather ’s plush comforter ? Your blow dryer . make the appliance a few inches away from the wax and move it back and off to warm up the wax without damaging the material . As the wax softens and loosens its hold , pass over it out using a flaccid textile dampen with warm water and mild detergent .

7. Hats and Headpieces

The Fixes : Ice and Heat

If the chapeau is small enough to equip , place it in the freezer to harden the wax . As an alternative , dab the wax with a few ice cubes to solidify it . Carefully scrape off the inure wax with a plastic scraper . If there is any residue , Angela Rubin of Canada - based cleaning companyHellamaidsuggests using a blow dryer on the blue setting to gently melt the wax , and then blot it away with a sportsmanlike textile . She add , “ Take care with touchy embellishments . ”

8. Painted Walls

The Fix : White acetum

expend a blast drier to moderate the wax . Once it ’s pliable , habituate a plastic scraper — not a alloy scraper , which could chip the paint — to carefully get rid of any large pieces of wax . To get disembarrass of any residue , softly wipe down the country with a clean cloth dipped into a solution of 3 parts white vinegar and 1 partboiling water . Buff the wall dry with a clean microfiber material .

9. Wallpaper

put a few ice cubes in a plastic bag and mildly constrict it against the wax - cover domain of thewallpaper . Once the wax has hardened , use a charge card scraper to belt down it off . If the wax has left a dirt on vinyl group wallpaper , saturate a cotton plant clod with mineral spirits and wipe it away .

10. Glass Jar

Hoping to repurpose acandle jarafter the standard candle itself has been used up ? First , let the wax cool and solidify , and then apply a spoon or butter tongue to bulge out as much wax as potential . rain cats and dogs boiling water into the jar , leaving enough room for the wax to blow to the top . Let the water nerveless before remove the wax . Spritz the jar with glass dry cleaner and pass over with a dry cloth .

11. Glass Furniture

The Fix : Rubbing Alcohol

set about by using a reverse dryer on low to average high temperature to soften the wax . Then , mildly grate the wax away from the crank surface using a charge card scraper or the edge of a credit entry calling card . Avoid using a metal scraper , which can scratch the glass surface . eat up up by moistening a cotton cycle or fabric withrubbing alcoholand using it to wipe away any residuum .

12. Brick

13. Bathroom Fixtures

If wax drips into the swallow hole , remove it as soon as possible to prevent it from going down the drainage . If the wax has temper , the best way to remove it is by reheat it first . Use a snow dryer on a high setting to melt the wax . Once it soften , wipe by the residuum with a paper towel .

14. Clothing

The Fix : Iron

First , allow the wax nerveless and harden before attempting to absent it . You should then be able to piece off most of the solidified wax . To remove any residue , put a few sheet of unprinted newspaper towel over the wax discolouration , and then run a clothes iron set on dispirited heat ( no steam ! ) over the area .

15. TV Screens

The hole : Dishwashing Liquid

After unplugging the gimmick , employ a rubber spatula to gently take away as much wax as you could . ( Note : Do n’t utilize a scraper on an electronic gimmick as it can damage the screen . ) Dip a sponge in a result of hot pee and a drop curtain or two ofdishwashing liquid , gouge out the sponger , and mildly wipe away any rest from the projection screen . Once the screen door is clean-living , pass over it juiceless with a microfiber cloth .

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Metal retro candlestick with five burning candles against a dark background in the room

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Cozy large burning candle on carpet.