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How to Get Candle Wax Out of Carpet: Three Easy Steps
Ah, candles. They smell amazing; they make your living space feel cozy; and they add a little romance to your stay-at-home dates. But inevitably, when they get accidentally knocked onto the floor, you're left with a special kind of waxy mess to deal with.
Candle wax can be a deep problem for carpets, and removing it may take some unique methods.
In this article, we'll teach you a method to remove candle wax from your carpet in three quick steps.
You might be hesitant to handle a wax stain yourself — and if so, we recommend calling a professional near you that has handled wax stains in carpet successfully, over and over for years. Professional Carpet Cleaners have special tools, solutions, and techniques specifically used to handle your waxy woes. :) You can find our pick for a trusted carpet cleaning professional in your local area on Our Local Cleaner™. But if we aren't servicing your city yet, be sure to find a cleaner with experience, great reviews, and preferably an owner-operator. They tend to be more dedicated than those that hire part-time help.
Three Steps for Removing Wax From Carpet: The COLD Method
You may have heard of using an iron or blow dryer to get candle wax out of a carpet, but some types and materials used for carpet fibers are more sensitive to damage caused by direct heat than other materials. For example, if your carpet is made of wool, too much heat can damage the threads, so opting for this "cold" method is your choice.
1. Gather Some Ice
To remove candle wax from carpet using the cold method, start by gathering ice into a sealable plastic bag, like a ziplock. It's important that you do NOT inadvertently pass moisture into the wax stain, so if the outside of the ice pack bag gets wet, be sure to dry it off or wrap it in a paper towel.
2. Cool the Wax
Now, put the ice pack onto the wax for a few minutes; protect your fingers from the chill with a washcloth or paper towel. The point of this step is to harden the wax, which allows the next step to work better!
3. Scrape the Wax Off the Carpet Fibers
When the wax is hardened and cool to the touch, use a knife with a dull blade (to avoid cutting carpet fibers and causing permanent damage), like a butter knife, to scrape it up off the carpet. Keep a vacuum handy to suck up loose candle wax as you go.
Three Steps for Removing Wax From Carpet: The HOT Method
If your carpet is made out of nylon or another durable synthetic material, here are three simple steps to get wax out of carpet using heat.
1. Get a Paper Towel slightly wet
Grab a full paper towel sheet, get it damp, and fold it in half. It will serve as a protective layer between the heat source and your carpet as you soak up the wax. You could also use a clean, white, damp cloth for this step. However, you may find paper towels to be more convenient, because you can just toss them away when the job is finished.
2. Heat the Wax
Note: Before applying heat, if the stain is pretty big, you may want to scrape it with a dull knife, like a butter knife, to remove some large wax chunks. Ok?
Now, place the damp paper towel from step #1 over the wax stain. Using an iron on a low setting (or a hairdryer for more sensitive carpet fibers), gently apply heat for about thirty seconds.
3. Soak up the candle wax
The melting candle wax will now soak into the paper towel. You will need to shift and replace the paper towel as you go to soak up as much of the wax as you can.
Repeat these three steps until you soak up all the candle wax.
Other Tips on How to Get Candle Wax Out of Carpet
Special pigments and dyes are used to color candles. Dyes and pigments have different properties and are used for different purposes; but in general, pigments are used to coat the outside of a candle with color, while dyes are used to color the wax throughout.
If the candle is colorful, it may leave a stain on your carpet even after all the wax is gone. Try one of the following methods to remove the rest of the stain:
Vinegar and Baking Soda
The venerable vinegar and baking soda formula is an excellent option for removing stubborn the stubborn color stains left from colorful candles on carpet. Put a small pile of baking soda onto the stain. Let it set for a minute or two, and then slowly pour vinegar over the baking soda until it has all dissolved.
Blot the spot using a clean white towel or cloth, a plain white paper towel (no fancy decorated, because they have dyes), or cotton swab. Start from the outside edges and work your way inward to avoid spreading the stain.
Rubbing Alcohol
Another option is using a diluted rubbing alcohol formula to help dissolve the color stain: Three parts water to one part alcohol. Put the formula into a spray bottle, and spray the stained area generously. Leave it alone for about 30 minutes. Then, blot the carpet dry with a clean white towel or cloth.
Professional Carpet Cleaning
If you're dealing with a particularly stubborn wax stain that has managed to stick around through all your efforts, a professional carpet cleaning company in your community knows how to get candle wax and color stains out of carpet.
Find a Local Carpet Cleaner Using Our Local Cleaner™
At Our Local Cleaner™, you can find a trusted, top-rated , locally-owned-and-operated carpet cleaning company in your community. The companies we work with have proven track records, friendly customer service, and are part of your local economy. Find YOUR professional carpet cleaner today!
