Remove Candle Wax from Fabric
Did a candle drip onto your favorite tablecloth? Read on for our expert tips on how to remove candle wax from clothes and fabric.
Need to know how to get candle wax out of clothing or how to remove candle wax from fabric like a tablecloth? Read on for our expert tips on how to remove candle wax.
It happens. You’re having a dinner party and fail to notice the wax from your taper candles dripping onto your tablecloth. It can be upsetting when you realize the wax has seeped into the fabric and solidified. You could try removing candle wax by scraping it off, but that can be time-consuming and may even damage the fabric. You could have it professionally cleaned, but that’s unnecessary. Save yourself the cost of laundering bills with these tips on how to remove candle wax from fabric.
Note: These tips don’t only work on tablecloths. You can also use them to remove wax from clothing.
Remove Small Candle Wax Stains
Small spots of hardened candle wax can be removed from fabric by rubbing with a generous dollop of vegetable oil. Wipe off any excess oil with paper towels, then launder as usual.
Another way to remove small amounts of wax from a tablecloth is to put the linen in the freezer. When the wax turns brittle, remove the tablecloth and snap most of the wax right off. To remove the remaining wax from the tablecloth, spread the affected area over a large bowl and secure it with rubber bands, then pour boiling water over the wax to melt it. Follow up by washing the tablecloth as usual.
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Remove Large Candle Wax Stains
Need to know how to get candle wax out of clothes? To remove large candle wax stains from clothing, first scrape off the excess with a dull knife, then place the stained area between two paper towels or brown paper bags and press with an iron on a low setting. If the fabric is one you would normally iron at a very low temperature, be careful to avoid burning it while you remove the wax. In that case, simply hold the iron just above the paper and move it back and forth. It doesn’t take much heat to soften the wax and transfer it to the paper. Replace the paper towels or bags as the wax is absorbed into them, then launder when the paper no longer absorbs wax. Remove any remaining stain with a spot lifter.
This post was first published in 2015 and has been updated.
