How to Remove Wax from Concrete

Co-authored by Erik Bakirov

When wax comes in contact with concrete, it sticks fast. Removing it will depend on what you've got available but don't worry, remove it you will!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

An ordinary steam iron works well for small wax spills (for example, liquid car wax).^{[1]
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Such appliances are usually available at large hardware/home improvement stores and some supermarkets.
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Keep steaming until most to all of the wax has melted. Wipe it with an absorbent material. Repeat until all the wax is removed.
- Repeat as required.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

This is suitable for a small area.

1
Layer several pieces of kitchen paper towel or brown paper, or a terry towel rag over the wax stain. Prepare a bottle of mineral spirits and a bucket of dish detergent and warm water, at the ready.^{[2]
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- The towel rag will absorb more wax than the paper, but use what you have available.
The wax will melt underneath.^{[3]
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Quickly mop up the melted wax using paper towel or rags and the mineral spirits.
Mop it all up and allow to dry.^{[4]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Have a bottle of mineral spirits and a bucket of warm water with detergent at the ready.
Discard this into the bin.
This will absorb a lot of what melts, reducing how much mopping up you'll need to do. This step is optional but advisable; if you don't have this towel, you can still heat the wax directly.
4
Set the hair dryer to its hottest temperature. Hold over the wax to melt it. Go over it as much as is needed to melt the most wax.^{[5]
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- You'll need to lift up the terry toweling rag to check you're getting it all.
Clean away the mineral spirits with the detergent and warm water. Allow to air dry.^{[6]
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If you have wax on another surface, such as a shirt, you can use a regular steam iron.

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White vinegar can be used in place of mineral spirits.

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Terry towel rags can be made from old towels; simply cut into squares or other shapes as needed. Old towels can be purchased readily at thrift stores and cheap towels can be obtained from dollar stores. Keep your old towels for cleaning purposes.

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