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How to Get Candle Wax Out of Clothes, Carpet and Wood

Spilled wax looks worse than it is. Harden it, scrape off what you can, and draw the rest out with gentle heat. Here's how for each surface, following university extension advice.

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Shown: Clean Cotton, 9 oz amber jar, $20

The short answer

Don't wipe hot wax; it spreads. Let it harden (an ice cube in a plastic bag speeds this up), scrape off as much as you can with something blunt, then lay white paper towels over what's left and press with a warm iron. The towels soak up the wax as it melts. Move to a clean patch of towel as each one fills.

How to get candle wax out of clothes

  1. Check the care label first. If the fabric can't take an iron, take it to a dry cleaner.
  2. Scrape off the excess wax with a dull knife or the edge of a spoon.
  3. Put the stained part between white paper towels and press with a warm iron from the back of the fabric, moving the towels as they absorb wax.
  4. Treat what's left with a stain remover, then wash on the warmest setting the care label allows.
  5. If colored wax left a dye mark, sponge it with 1 part rubbing alcohol to 2 parts water and rinse. Test on a hidden spot first, and don't use alcohol on acetate or acrylic.

How to get candle wax out of carpet

  1. Harden the wax with an ice cube in a plastic bag.
  2. Gently scrape off the hardened wax with a spatula or a blunt edge, without pulling the fibers.
  3. Lay paper towels over the spot and press with a warm, not hot, iron, moving the towels as the wax soaks in.
  4. Sponge any last traces with a dry-cleaning solvent, blot and let it dry. Don't soak the carpet; too much liquid can damage the backing and pad.

Upholstery works the same way: ice, scrape with a plastic card, then the warm iron and paper towels. Check the fabric's cleaning code first.

How to get candle wax off wood

Harden the wax with ice, then lift it off carefully with a plastic card so you don't scratch the finish. For the thin film left behind, the University of Georgia Extension suggests a little mineral spirits on a cloth, then buffing with a soft chamois. Test it on a hidden spot first.

Glass, tile and other hard surfaces

Harden with ice, scrape gently with a dull tool, then wipe with warm water and a little detergent, rinse and dry. For a glass candle jar itself, see how to get candle wax out of a jar.

Be careful with solvents

Mineral spirits and dry-cleaning solvents are flammable. Open a window, keep them well away from candles and other flames, wear gloves, and store them out of children's reach.

How to avoid spills

  • Burn candles on a flat, heat-resistant surface, out of drafts. Drafts make a flame flicker and burn unevenly.
  • Never move a candle while it's lit or while the wax is still liquid; let it cool and harden first.
  • Jar candles like ours keep the melted wax in the glass, so they rarely drip the way tapers and pillars do. Our wax is white, so a color stain is unlikely.

More on burning a candle well: candle care and why a candle smokes.

Source: University of Georgia Extension, stain removal: candle wax and paraffin. Always read care labels and test cleaners on a hidden area first.

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