The setting is perfect – you sit down for a lovely candlelight dinner with your friends. Everything is warm, the food is great, the music is nice – you’re having the best time.

UNTIL – oh no, what is that big ugly candle stain on the dining table!

Don’t panic, I have your back. This guide is your most handy guide on how to remove candle wax from any and every surface. With a little patience and some resourcefulness, you can learn how to get rid of wax stains from just about anything.

Read on to find out:

• How to get candle wax out of clothes?
• Getting wax off the carpet
• Wax stains on wood
• Household appliances to the rescue
• Quickest ways to remove candle wax stains

How To Remove Wax From Fabrics

First things first – check the properties of the fabric that has the stain:

• What material is it? Cotton, synthetic, silk etc.
• Is it washable?
• Can it be heated without getting damaged?

Now that you know just what you’re dealing with, you can move on to damage control. The method you pick to remove the wax depends on the type of fabric and the size of the stain.

Tip: Wait till the wax completely dries. If you try to remove it while it’s still hot, you risk spreading it even more across the cloth. So even if you see the spill happen in front of you – give it some time.

Step 1: Getting out the excess wax

This step is common to any method you follow.

• Once the wax is completely dry, gently scrape at it with a dull knife.
• Layers of wax should come off as soon as you apply some pressure.
• If the fabric is really delicate (like silk or satin), use a spoon or your nails.

Step 2: Use a clothes iron

Tip: keep the iron on a low heat setting. Do not use steam or water on the stain.

1. Place a paper towel under the stain on the ironing table.
2. Cover the stain on top with another paper towel or thin cloth. This is to prevent the iron from directly touching the wax.
3. Gently press the hot iron onto the stained area.
4. This melts the wax – which gets absorbed by the paper towel underneath.
5. Repeat and replace the paper towel as required.

This method works best for linen or cotton clothes. For fabrics like wool or fleece, we suggest using blotting paper or old cotton cloth – otherwise, you may have little bits of paper sticking to the wool.

Wondering why this method works so effectively? It’s because of the properties of candle wax that make it super malleable on exposure to heat.

Step 3: Wash it off

Once you have melted away as much wax as you can from the stain, wash the cloth in a hot water cycle with laundry detergent.

Do not use a dryer until the stain has completely disappeared. Else the heat of the dryer may set the wax permanently.

Got Wax Stains On The Carpet Or Couch?

Here Are Some Quick Hacks.

If you’re wondering how on earth you’re going to get that melted candle wax out of your brand new carpet – here are some of our most effective tips and tricks.

Use the ironing method. It is possible to get candle wax out of the carpet with an iron – but note that this would only work on thinner fabrics.

If your carpet is one of those one-inch thick mammoths, you have to try something else.

Use Vegetable Oil Or Carpet Cleaner

1. Scrape away all the excess wax from the carpet.
2. Apply 2-3 drops of vegetable oil onto the remaining wax. This makes it soft and easy to brush away with a carpet brush.
3. Alternatively, you can apply some carpet cleaner onto the stain. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Then brush away with a toothbrush or carpet brush.

Tip: organic solvents like rubbing alcohol can also be used instead of vegetable oil.

Make sure that you use the smallest amount of oil possible – you do not want to create a new oil stain alongside the wax one. That’s twice the stress!

Easy Hack: Use Boiling Water

Looking for the quickest and effortless way to get that nasty wax stain out of your fabric? Just use boiling water.

1. Boil enough water to submerge the stained area completely.
2. Put 4-5 tablespoons of baking soda into the water.
3. Dip the carpet or couch cover into the boiling water till the stain is completely under the surface.
4. Hold the fabric under water for 1-2 minutes using a rod or a big spoon.
5. The wax will soften and eventually fall off into the water.

This method is perfect for rugged carpet or couch fabrics. Make sure not to hold it in the boiling water for longer than necessary as this might damage the cloth’s dye.

How To Get Wax Stains Off Wood

Did you just notice that big wax drip stain on your wooden dining table from last night’s dinner party?

It looks awful – how are you ever going to get it off?

Fret not, follow these instructions to the T, and the stain will come off in a jiffy.

What do you need?

• Hair dryer
• Paper towels or a soft rag
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• Wood varnish

What to do?

1. Remove all the excess wax pooled on the wood using a spoon or the edge of a credit card.
2. Heat up the stain with a hair dryer. Do not hold the dryer directly against the wood, but at a distance of 4-5 inches.
3. The heal from the hair dryer will melt the remaining wax. Blot it up with clean paper towels or a soft cloth rag.
4. Prepare a mixture of the vinegar and water.
5. Dip the rag in this mixture and gently scrub away at the stained part till there is no trace left.
6. Polish with a little bit of wood varnish.

We suggest performing these steps as soon as you spot the stain. If wax stays onto the wood for long, it can leave a permanent mark on light-colored wood.

How To Get Candle Wax Off The Wall?

It happens to the best of us. You place a beautiful scented candle on a shelf too close to the wall, and to your dismay, there is now a wax splatter stain on your wallpaper.

What do you do?

For Plain, Untextured Walls

1. Scrape off all the wax you can with a butter knife. Take care that you don’t chip off any of the paint layers.
2. Wet a rag or kitchen paper in some boiling hot water and gently scrub at the stained area.
3. The hot water will melt away all the remaining wax from the wall, and come off onto the rag.
4. Finish cleaning with a mild soapy solution and wipe dry with a clean paper towel.

Note: wear gloves while scrubbing with the boiling water to protect your hands.

For Textured Walls And Wallpapers

What do you need?

• Hair dryer
• Paper towels or a clean cloth
• Liquid soap
• Water

What to do?

1. You will need to apply more consistent heat onto the spot than just rubbing with hot water.
2. After removing the excess wax, place a paper towel or cloth directly over the stained spot.
3. Point the hair dryer on that spot and keep increasing the heat until you see the wax melting and transferring onto the paper towel.
4. Repeat and change paper towels till all the wax is melted away.
5. Rub the area clean with a solution of soap and water.
6. Finish by wiping down with a clean towel.

Household Supplies To The Rescue

No matter how bad the wa stain looks, rest assured that it can be dealt with using handy tools you can find around the house. All it takes is some time and ample amounts of resourcefulness.

These are some items that you can easily find in the house to get rid of those nasty wax stains.

• Clothes iron
• Hair dryer
• Hair straightener or iron
• Old credit cards
• Business cards
• Spatula
• Paint scraper

To sum up: first rule of damage control for wax stains – don’t panic. Everything can be fixed. Take stock of the stain and the material it is on.

Follow the simple steps you just read, and the stain will disappear in no time. All it takes is some elbow grease – but trust us, you will be glad you made the effort.

So put up all the candles you want in the house and don’t worry about the wax stains anymore!