Candles are an integral part of many experiences: whether it's dinner by candlelight, birthday celebrations or just relaxing in the bath, it doesn't feel complete without candles. But candles melt!
Candle wax is particularly tricky to remove, as it starts off as a liquid, seeping into surfaces, before hardening and embedding itself in your carpet fibres. But with a bit of work, candle wax can usually be removed. Here’s what we recommend:
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
THE COLD AND HOT WAX CLEANING METHODS:
THE COLD METHOD:
1. Apply a bag of ice over the candle wax to freeze it.
2. Gently scrape off the wax using a blunt knife or an old credit card.
3. Vacuum off the candle wax debris.
4. Spray the area with a cleaning solution.
5. Rinse with a damp cloth dipped in clean water.
Whilst quick and easy, this method will usually leave some candle wax in the carpet fibres. If that occurs, we recommend trying the hot method next.
THE HOT METHODS:
With a clothes iron:
1. Lay a plain brown paper bag or paper towels over the candle wax. Be careful not to use printed paper as it could potentially transfer to the surface you're cleaning.
2. Set your iron on warm or low but NO STEAM. Apply it over the paper bag with a bit of pressure. This should transfer the wax onto the paper bag.
3. Don't exert too much pressure and avoid staying in one area too long. Keep moving and shifting the paper bag to get all the candle wax.
4. Replace with a fresh paper bag if necessary.
With a hair dryer:
1. Set the hair dryer on medium and melt the wax.
2. Wipe off the wax with paper towels as the melt.
We found that some jobs you can do with either the cold or hot method, while others will require you to employ both, by first scraping off as much as you can with the cold method, then finishing the job with the hot method to remove any remaining residue. If the candle had dye in it, it may leave a stain in the carpet even after trying both of these methods. Don't stress! We have some tips to try to get the stain out.
TIPS TO REMOVE CANDLE WAX DYE STAINS
Some candles have some sort of dye which could leave a stain even after removing the candle wax. Here are some things you can try if your cleaning solution was not able to remove the stains. Be careful to test in an inconspicuous area first to check if they are safe to use.
Rubbing Alcohol - Moisten the stain with rubbing alcohol and let it sit for half an hour. Blot the stained area with a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol. Then rinse with a clean damp cloth. You may need to repeat a few times to remove the candle wax stains.
WD-40 - Spray a bit of WD-40 onto the stain and leave it for a few minutes. Use a clean rag to blot the stains. This is also a good method but may require careful cleaning and rinsing after to remove any oily residue that can attract dust and dirt.
Electro 3 Stain Remover – Use according to the instructions on the bottle
If you need carpet cleaning help, contact the home cleaning experts at Electrodry on 13 27 13.
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