The candles are lit, and the wine is chilled; the perfect setup for a romantic dinner! Knocking over a candle and spilling hot wax on the carpet can quickly bring the mood of the night undone.
Hot liquid candlewax quickly penetrates deep into the carpet fibres, making it very difficult to remove. Whilst it may seem like a nightmare to remove, with the right methods, it can be a piece of cake. Here's what we recommend:
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
THE COLD AND HOT WAX CLEANING METHODS:
THE COLD METHOD:
1. Freeze the candle wax by placing a bag of ice over the affected area.
2. Gently scrape off the wax using a dull or rounded knife or better yet, an old credit card.
3. Vacuum off the small bits of candle wax.
4. Spray the area with a cleaning solution and let it sit for a few minutes.
5. Use a cloth dampened with clean water to rinse the carpet.
The cold method may offer the quickest and easiest way to remove candle wax. But this method tends to leave some candle wax still stuck to the carpet fibers. If that happens, we recommend finishing the job off using the hot method next.
THE HOT METHODS:
With a cloth iron:
1. Start by spreading a plain brown paper bag over the affected area. Avoid using printed paper bags as the ink in the print may transfer to your carpet. Paper towels are a suitable alternative
2. Set your iron to warm or low dry setting. Do not use steam. Using light pressure, apply the iron to the paper bag. You should notice the wax transferring to the paper bag.
3. Avoid placing too much pressure or staying in one area for an extended period of time, as this may burn the carpet. Keep moving the iron and shifting the paper bag to absorb all the candle wax.
4. Replace with a fresh paper bag as necessary. Keep ironing until you notice that no further wax is being transferred to the paper.
With a hair dryer:
1. Set your hair dryer to medium and blast it at the candle wax.
2. Wipe off the soft candle-wax with a paper towel as soon as the wax starts melting.
During testing, we found that some jobs can be done using either just the cold or hot method. For larger candle-wax spills, use the cold method to remove as much was you can, then use the hot method to remove any remaining candle-wax residue.
TIPS TO REMOVE CANDLE WAX DYE STAINS
Some candles will have a dye that leaves a stain even after you've successfully removed the candle wax. If your cleaning solution didn’t completely remove the stain, there are still a few tricks you can try. A word of caution, though, it's best to try these on a hidden area of the carpet to check if they are safe to use.
Rubbing Alcohol - Moisten a cloth or cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and apply it on the stain. Let the alcohol sit for about 30 minutes. Using the cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol, gently dab at the stain until it disappears. Rinse with a clean damp cloth to remove any alcohol residue. Repeat as needed.
WD-40 - Using the straw attachment, spritz the stain with a bit of WD-40 and leave it for a few minutes. Use a clean cloth to lightly blot the stain until it's gone. This is a very effective method but thorough cleaning and rinsing are required to remove any oily residue the WD-40 may leave behind.
E3 Spot & Stain Remover – For proper use, Follow the instructions on the bottle.
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