How To Easily Remove Candle Wax from Any Surface

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Simple ways to get wax off clothes, carpet, furniture, and floors

Co-authored by Kamel Almani and Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: August 20, 2024 Fact Checked

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Plastic, Glass, Marble & Metal

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Carpets, Flooring & Walls

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Counters, Tables & Other Hard Surfaces

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Fabric & Clothing

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Wax stains may appear to ruin an item, but we're here to help. There are plenty of ways to remove wax from fabrics, hard surfaces, and more. For instance, you can freeze the item and scrape off the wax or use a blow dryer to heat the wax before wiping it away. Check out the guide below to learn all the tips and tricks you need to get rid of wax quickly and efficiently.

Things You Should Know

Place small glass, plastic, or metal items in the freezer to cool the wax enough to scrape it off.
Apply heat from a blow dryer to wax hardened on hardwood flooring, tables, or other hard surfaces before wiping it up with a paper towel.
Put ice on carpet to chill the wax, scrape it off with a butter knife, and then wipe any residue away with a carpet cleaner.

Section 1 of 4:

How to Remove Wax from Plastic, Marble & Metal

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1
Scrape as much wax off as you can. If there’s a lot of wax on your item, use a butter knife to get as much off as possible.^{[1]
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Research source} This method works best when trying to clean small items made of plastic, glass, ceramic, steel, vinyl, cast iron, and marble.^{[2]
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- Avoid using this method of removing wax on fabric or clothing, as scraping it could drive it deeper into the fibers and make it harder to clean up.
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Put your item in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Placing your item in a cold environment will harden the wax, making it easier to remove. If you have a chest or deep freezer, you may even be able to freeze large items, like candlesticks, to help remove the wax.^{[3]
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- If the item is too large to fit in the freezer, wrap ice cubes or ice packs in an absorbent towel and apply them to the wax to cool it.
- The longer you freeze the item, the easier it’ll likely be to remove the wax.
- Check to see if the wax has hardened by looking at its color. If it’s turned darker and more opaque, it’s probably cooled.
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Hold a butter knife parallel to the item that the wax is on, then slowly scrape or pop it off. The wax will loosen, flaking and chipping away with ease. If you don’t want to risk damaging your item with the knife, use a credit card instead.^{[4]
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Wash your item to remove any wax residue. Gently scrub your item with an all-purpose cleaner and a toothbrush to remove any leftover wax. This is especially important if you’re removing wax from a household item, like a glass or dish.^{[5]
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- If you’re cleaning wax off furniture, simply wipe it down with a clean cloth.

Section 2 of 4:

How to Remove Wax from Carpets, Flooring & Walls

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1
Use ice and a cleaning solvent on carpet. Wrap an ice cube in a plastic bag and rub it on top of the ice until it’s hard. Use a butter knife to scrape the wax off as much of the surface as possible, then spritz the area with a carpet cleaning spray. Scrub the area with a paper towel to remove any residue.^{[6]
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- For a deeper clean, shampoo the carpet after removing the wax.
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Get wax off wood flooring with an ice cube and buff away waxy residue. Wrap an ice cube in a plastic bag and rub it against the wax on the floor until it’s hard. Use a credit card or a dull knife to scrape up most of the wax. When you’re finished, buff the wood with a chamois cloth to remove any residue or scratches.^{[7]
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- Wood flooring can get scratched easily, so be careful not to gouge your scraping instrument into the floor.
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Use mineral spirits and ice to wipe away waxy residue on vinyl. If you spilled some wax on vinyl flooring, rub an ice cube wrapped in plastic on top of the wax until it hardens. Use a plastic credit card to scrape the wax up (avoid using a metal butter knife, which can scratch the surface), then dab a cotton ball in mineral spirits and use that to wipe up the residue.^{[8]
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- Heat can warp vinyl flooring, and chemical solvents can discolor it. It’s best to stick to gentle methods that aren’t too strong for vinyl floors.
- Make sure your space is well-ventilated before using mineral spirits. Mineral spirits can be toxic, and opening a window or propping up a fan can minimize your exposure.^{[9]
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- Wear gloves when handling or cleaning with mineral spirits, as it can cause rashes or (in severe cases) burns.
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Use detergent to wash wax off tile, brick, cement, and decks. Use an ice cube wrapped in plastic to harden the wax, then scrape it up with a dull knife or a spatula. When you’re done, mix up a little bit of water and detergent, then wipe the area clean.^{[10]
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- Be careful: your tile will be slippery until the water dries.
5
Use a vinegar mixture to remove wax on delicate surfaces. Wood and vinyl don’t do well with sharp tools scraping against their surfaces. To avoid scratching your floors, mix 1 part water with 1 part white vinegar and soak a cloth in it. Use the cloth to dampen the wax and peel it up slowly without damaging the surface.^{[11]
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- Vinegar also won’t discolor light-colored wood.

Section 3 of 4:

How to Remove Wax from Counters, Tables & Other Hard Surfaces

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1
Heat wax on counters, tables, or other hard surfaces with a blow dryer. Sometimes, there’s no way you can put something in the freezer or cool it down enough to scrape the wax off. If that’s the case, try using heat instead.^{[12]
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Research source} Set your blow dryer to a hot setting and aim it directly at the stain. Keep the blow dryer a few inches from the surface to avoid scorching the material. Try not to blow the wax around—it's easier to wipe up if it's all in one puddle.^{[13]
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- Never use heat on glass (which can break) or synthetic fabrics (which can melt).
- Avoid using heat on fabric, as it can melt the wax and spread the stain.
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Wipe the wax off with a paper towel or old rag. Carefully scoop up the melted wax with a paper towel or rag, trying to get all of the wax up at the same time. If there’s still wax left over, use a plastic credit card to help lift it up.^{[14]
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- Wax can be difficult to get out of the cloth or towel you use to wipe up the mess, so be sure not to use your nice towels.
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Remove leftover residue with an all-purpose cleaner. If there's a film of wax left over after removing the wax, get rid of it with a little spray cleaner and a sponge. Squirt or spray an all-purpose cleaner on the area and wipe it up with a damp rag or sponge. If you're working on a fragile surface (like a fine wooden tabletop), use a gentle cleaner to avoid damaging the material.^{[15]
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- If there’s still more wax left on the surface, try repeating the removal process until all the wax is lifted.

Section 4 of 4:

How to Remove Wax from Fabrics & Clothing

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1
Cover the wax with paper towels, then iron the fabric. Remove wax from clothing or other fabric items by setting your iron to medium heat and placing a few paper towels over the wax. Gently rub the iron back and forth over the waxy area to gradually melt it. As the towels soak up the wax, replace them with new ones until all of the wax is gone.^{[16]
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- Make sure you use white paper towels without any designs to avoid transferring color to your fabric.
Take an ice cube and rub it on the wax until it gets hard. Then, use a butter knife to scrape off the hard wax and throw it away. When most of the wax is gone, run the fabric through a wash cycle to get rid of any residue.^{[17]
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Sponge the fabric with an upholstery cleaner. Spray the waxy area with an upholstery cleaner and allow it to dry. Use a sponge or a paper towel to blot the cleaner and the wax, then spray more cleaner on. You can keep doing this until the wax is completely gone.^{[18]
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- If you can wash the fabric, run it through a wash cycle to remove any residue.
If you’ve scraped, washed, and scrubbed your fabric and a waxy residue remains, mix 2 parts of rubbing alcohol with 2 parts of water. Sponge the area lightly, then rinse it out with cool water. Keep repeating this until your fabric looks brand new again.^{[19]
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Dry clean linen if it’s stained. Linen fabric is delicate and doesn’t hold up well under deep scrubbing. If there’s still an oily residue on your item, take it to a dry cleaner and have the experts fix it for you.^{[20]
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- Washing and drying linen at home can warp the fabric, so it’s best to take it to a professional.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I remove wax from a painted wall?

Mark Spelman
Construction Professional
Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Mark Spelman

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

Heat up the wax, using something like a hair dryer, to get it to melt. Then, wipe it away with a clean cloth and clean the wall with an all-purpose cleaner that is safe to use on paint.

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Question

How do I remove candle wax from vinyl fabric on outdoor furniture?

Mark Spelman
Construction Professional
Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Mark Spelman

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

Let the wax cool and harden before trying to remove it. Then, scrape it off with a plastic-edged item like a credit card. Clean the furniture with fabric cleaner to remove any residue.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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