A birthday cake, a candlelit dinner, beautiful candles to celebrate the event… And now you have a candle wax stain on your tablecloth or your clothing. But do not panic ! It is always possible to save them in a simple and economical way! Curious to know more? Check out these easy-to-follow steps to remove candle or even hair removal wax from your clothing.
What tools to remove wax from clothes?
Spoon or knife or credit card
Soft bristle brush
Iron
Absorbent paper towels
Laundry Detergent
Hot water
Oxygen Bleach (Oxygen Bleach)
Washer and dryer
Ice cubes
Rubbing alcohol
What steps should you take before you start cleaning wax from clothing?
Before you start cleaning your garment or tablecloth and rid it of the wax stain, check its label to see if it requires dry cleaning. If so, allow the wax to dry and harden before removing it with a dull knife, then take the garment to the dry cleaner for proper cleaning.
How to remove a candle wax or hair removal stain from clothing?
To remove wax stains from clothes, here are the steps to follow.
Step 1: Let the stain dry
Let a wax stain dry on clothing
pinterest logo
Let a wax stain dry on clothing. Source: spm
The best way to get rid of wax on your clothing is to let it dry. When the wax is still hot, you risk embedding it further into the fibers of the fabric.
Step 2: Scratch the stain
Scraping a wax stain with a knife
pinterest logo
Scrape off a wax stain with a knife. Source: spm
Once the wax has dried, scrape it off the garment. For this, you can use a plastic spatula.
To remove hard wax, you can also use a dull knife. Be careful not to hurt yourself, and do not use a sharp knife to avoid damaging your clothing. The edge of your credit card can also do the trick.
For delicate garments like silk, use a spoon, gently scraping the hardened wax with the rounded edge.
Step 3: heat the wax
The next step is to heat the remaining wax stains to melt them.
Place a paper towel under the item of clothing, and two more on the wax stain.
Set the iron to medium heat and run it over the stain. The paper will thus absorb the heated wax;
Don’t hesitate to renew the paper as the wax stains begin to come off;
Continue replacing the paper towels until all the wax is absorbed.
It’s also best to use blotting paper instead of paper towels, if you have them. It is a porous paper, used to absorb fresh stains such as ink stains.
Step 4: Use a stain remover
A piece of clothing with a wax stain in a basin
pinterest logo
A piece of clothing with a wax stain in a basin. Source: spm
Even if the wax has come off, the stains will need to be treated, especially if the wax comes from a colored candle. You can remove stains from your white clothing using an oxygen stain remover such as oxygen bleach mixed with water (4 parts water mixed with 1 part water). oxygen bleach).
Apply the stain remover to the stains;
Soak the garment in a basin with two cups of water as hot as possible for the fabric;
Leave on for an hour;
Rinse the garment in lukewarm water.
You can replace the stain remover with liquid detergent. You can also use washing powder.
Mix a tablespoon of washing powder with a little water to form a paste;
Apply the paste to the stain with your fingers or a soft-bristled brush;
Leave on for 15 minutes;
Rinse with warm water.
Before using any product, apply it first to a small, inconspicuous area of your clothing, to avoid unpleasant surprises!
Step 5: Wash the garment
Put a wax-stained item of clothing in the washing machine
pinterest logo
Put a wax-stained item of clothing in the washing machine. Source: spm
After removing the wax and treating the colored stains, all you have to do is wash your garment as you normally do. Follow the instructions on the clothing label.
Caution: Do not put your garment in the dryer if the stains have not yet disappeared. The heat risks setting the stain permanently!
How do you remove wax that has dried on jeans?
Scraping Dried Wax From Jeans
pinterest logo
Scrape dried wax off jeans. Source: spm
Have your jeans accidentally been stained by wax? No stress ! If the wax has dried on the jeans, simply proceed as follows:
Scrape off the dried wax with a tool like a spoon or dull knife.
Place a thick paper towel over the mark and run over an iron set to medium heat to absorb any remaining wax.
Does vinegar remove candle wax from clothes?
Vinegar can help remove wax stains from clothes. Get some absorbent paper towels, an iron and white vinegar.
Place a sheet of absorbent paper under the garment then two other sheets on top and iron at medium temperature.
Once the wax has been absorbed, rub the fabric with a cloth soaked in a vinegar solution (one part vinegar and two parts water).
Put the garment in the machine.
How to remove wax stains from wool clothes?
For wool clothing, here’s how you can do it.
Scrape the cooled wax off a woolen garment
pinterest logo
Scrape the cooled wax onto a woolen garment. Source: spm
Let the wax cool;
Scrape off hardened wax spots using a spoon or dull knife. Scrape the wax gently as wool clothing is delicate and can be damaged easily.
Remove wax residue using a vacuum cleaner. This way, you prevent this debris from becoming embedded in the fibers of the wool.
For remaining wax, use one of two methods to soften and loosen it.
Method 1: iron
Fill the iron reservoir with water;
Turn on the iron and set it to a low temperature;
Place paper towels over the wax stain;
Iron the stain using pressure on the towels. These will absorb the wax which begins to liquefy as it heats up.
Method 2: hair dryer
Instead of the iron, you can use the hair dryer.
Place a paper towel over the wax stain;
Turn on your device and hold it 15 cm above the wax;
Dab the wax with a paper towel as it heats up, to loosen it;
After removing the wax, you can clean the stains by mixing 1 part white vinegar with 3 parts water. White vinegar is a natural product that will not damage wool fibers.
Thanks to these tips, you will easily get rid of wax stains on your clothing, without damaging it!
FAQs
Can you remove wax from fabric without an iron?
If you are worried that the iron will damage your fabric, opt for the hair dryer.
Let the wax cool first. To do this, you can put your garment in the freezer for a few hours or place an ice cube on the wax stains;
Peel off the hardened wax using a dull knife;
Then place a paper towel over the wax stain;
Use the hairdryer method as explained above;
Wash your garment as you normally do.
How to clean oily stains from wax?
After heating the wax and absorbing the stains with paper, you may find an oily residue on your fabric, especially when it comes to candle wax. As Dan Miller , a cleaning expert, and director of Mulberrys Garment Care explains , candle wax is an oil-based stain. You will then need a solvent to dissolve the oil, such as acetone and isopropyl alcohol.
Before using a solvent to remove oily stains, first check your garment’s care label for cleaning instructions to avoid damaging it. Then you can follow these steps.
Place a paper towel over the stains;
Soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover and dab the stains;
Continue doing this until the spots disappear;
Blot up the residue;
If you have used nail polish remover, it is recommended to steam clean the stains to remove traces of acetone on the fabric;
Then wash your garment as you normally do.