It is not uncommon for a drop of melted candle wax to end up on a tablecloth or clothing, for example, after a romantic candlelit dinner or after a birthday party. The wax cools quickly and remains adhered to the tissue, making it difficult to remove. It may be that you realize when the wax falls irretrievably or that you detect its presence after a while. In this sense, and as the first piece of advice, it must be said that it is not advisable to try to remove the wax from clothes while it is still hot, firstly because you could burn yourself and secondly because it will always be easier to get rid of it when it is cold and solidified. With this point clear, if you want to know how to remove candle wax from clothes, keep reading this article where we give you tips and practical solutions to achieve it easily.
Scraping + dishwasher
If you are going to wash a piece of clothing and you see that ‘drop’ of dried wax, it is unlikely that you will be able to remove it by putting it directly in the washing machine. One of the home remedies to remove wax from clothes without damaging the garment is by following these simple steps:
- With a not-too-sharp spatula or knife (for example a dessert knife) gently scrape over the fabric to try to remove much of the stuck wax. Do it with movements always from top to bottom and superficially, without going deep into the fabric so as not to damage it.
- Once much of the wax has been removed, put a few drops of dishwashing liquid on the area, the kind you use to wash dishes by hand.
- With a little water, impregnate the fabric well with the liquid soap and leave it to act for a few minutes.
- Rinse without scrubbing with warm water and proceed to wash it in the washing machine.
Iron
The clothes iron can also be an excellent tool to help you remove any wax that may have stuck to it.
- Scrape, as we have indicated, to remove as much wax as possible.
- Heat the iron at a low-medium temperature and without steam.
- On the ironing board, place a napkin or absorbent kitchen paper, slightly damp, put the cloth with the wax on it, and cover it with another paper napkin.
- Pass the iron over the area and you will see that the heat it gives off causes the remains of wax to liquefy and soak into the paper, freeing the garment from the wax and grease that it gives off.
- Once this is done, wash as you normally would.
Ice or freezer
If you want to know how to remove candle wax from clothes quickly and easily, this trick is the one you need. Acting quickly is important to prevent it from sticking excessively and leaving a ring of fat that is difficult to remove.
As we said, you shouldn’t touch the hot wax, but if you’ve seen the ‘mishap’ that just happened, wait for the wax to warm up, then grab a plastic bag of ice and place it on top of it. This gesture will speed up the solidification process, preventing the wax from penetrating excessively into the fibers of the fabric.
After a few minutes with the ice applied, remove the bag and remove the layer of wax with a knife or spatula. You will get the same result if, instead of applying ice, you leave the clothes in the freezer for a few minutes.
Baking soda
If you have managed to remove the drop of wax, but a ring of grease has remained on the clothes in the form of an ‘impossible’ stain, try sprinkling a few tablespoons of baking soda on it . Let it act for at least an hour and then shake the garment. In addition, pass a soft brush over the affected area to remove the remains of bicarbonate. You will see that these powders have absorbed the resistant grease.
Baking soda + hot water
Sometimes removing candle wax from clothing without risking the item on which it has fallen is not easy. If you have tried to scrape, but the wax does not come out, do the following:
- Boil a good amount of water in a container in which you can introduce the tissue from which you want to remove the wax.
- Also, add two or three tablespoons of baking soda.
- When the water is very hot, insert the cloth with the wax (be careful not to burn yourself), wait a minute and remove the garment. Most likely, you will have managed to remove the wax. (This trick is not suitable for delicate garments ).
Methyl alcohol
If what has fallen on your clothes is the wax from a colored candle, the problem is even more complicated, because you will have to try to remove the wax without it ‘discoloring’, that is, without its coloring ending up altering the color of your clothing. the garment.
For this purpose, methyl alcohol is very useful because, once the layer of wax has been removed, you can apply a few drops on the remains that have remained, leave it to act for a couple of minutes, brush gently and immediately rinse the garment in its set.
Hair dryer
If you wonder how to remove wax from clothes without an iron, applying heat, a hair dryer can be the solution to the remains of wax and the stain they leave on clothes. If, for example, it has fallen on a blouse, when you detect it, it acts on the fly.
- Scrape off the surface wax.
- Place two absorbent papers in the area of the stain, one for each side of the fabric.
- Directly apply the heat of the dryer for a few minutes to absorb the fat.
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