How to remove wax stains from clothes: Easy steps

by Abbas Jahangir · July 10, 2024

Candles are rarely used in everyday life. But they are an integral part of religious services, Christmas fortune telling, and special events. It is at these moments that a candle, once in your hand, can “cry” and ruin things. How to remove wax from clothes without ruining the material?

How to remove wax stains from clothes?

Removing drops of paraffin or natural wax from things is not so difficult. However, in order to avoid a disastrous result, it is worth following the following rules:

It is advisable to remove candle wax from clothing as quickly as possible. Old stains are harder to clean. But you shouldn’t rush too much. If you start rubbing a soft drop that has just landed on the material, it will spread even more, and the wax will eat deeper into the fabric. Therefore, the first thing to do is to be patient and wait until the wax drop cools and hardens.
The wax stain is removed in 2 stages. First, you need to clean off the top hard crust, and only then proceed to removing the wax residue and oil stain.
Carefully study the recommendations on the product label. Not every material can withstand exposure to high or, conversely, low temperatures.
The effect of chemical cleaners should first be tested on an inconspicuous area of the garment or a piece of fabric that comes with it. This is especially important for delicate and colored materials.
The stains are removed locally, and only after this are the items to be washed immersed entirely in the washing solution.

Mechanical cleaning methods

The easiest way to remove paraffin (wax) stains at home is mechanically, i.e. without using cleaning agents or stain removers. This can be done in three ways.

By scraping

If the material is dense and lint-free, you can simply scrape off the wax using a plastic stack. This method is ideal for items made of natural or artificial smooth leather. Once the main layer of wax has been removed, crumbs and grease can be easily washed off with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol, glycerin or regular laundry soap.

Scraping can damage fibrous fabrics and cause wax particles to become embedded even deeper between the threads.

By means of exposure to high temperature

Paraffin can be removed from fabric by applying high temperature to the stain. This can be done in several ways.

Method 1

The item is turned inside out and placed on an ironing board. The stain is covered with napkins on both sides and ironed with an iron set to medium power. The manipulation is repeated several times, changing the soiled paper. This technique is suitable for models made of thick natural fabric (wool, drape, linen and cotton).

When cleaning suede items, place the cloth with the stain covered with a napkin on the inverted hot (not red-hot) soleplate of the iron. If you do the opposite, the item will become shiny and the surface will lose its velvety feel.

Method 2

Heat water in a saucepan and lower a linen or cotton item into it for 1 minute. Repeat this action several times until the contaminated surface is clean and an oil film forms on the water.

The suede model is held over a boiling pan for 15 to 30 minutes. During this time, there will be no trace of the wax stain on the suede, and the surface will restore its structure.

Method 3

If the fabric tolerates high temperatures well, you can use a steam generator or steam iron. Heat the wax stain for a few minutes and then remove it with a napkin.

Method 4

Most delicate fabrics, such as silk, viscose, chiffon, satin, will not be damaged by heating with a hair dryer. Direct the hot stream at the stain until it melts. Then carefully scrape off the remaining paraffin.

Freezing

If the material is afraid of heat, the wax stain can be removed by applying cold. This is acceptable for most models, including fur and synthetics. Cleaning is done in two ways:

The small item is packed in a polyethylene bag and placed in the freezer. After 2-3 hours, it is removed and the wax is removed by simply rubbing the stain, as when washing.
The bulky item is laid out on a horizontal surface with the stain facing up and a bag of ice or any frozen product without a strong smell is placed on the dirty spot. After about half an hour, the wax coating is rubbed off as in the first case.

The above cleaning methods work well only if the stain has appeared recently. To combat ingrained dirt, it is necessary to use chemicals and medical preparations.

Products for removing old stains

It is more difficult to remove a long-standing wax or paraffin stain. For this purpose, substances with a wide range of action are used. The most gentle universal cleaners include:

Dishwashing gel. Apply a few drops to a stain moistened with water and rub in, foaming with your fingers. Wash with warm water after 5-6 hours. For greater effect, mix the gel with ethyl alcohol in a 1:1 ratio. In this case, cleaning will be faster.
Ethyl alcohol and table salt. A paste is prepared from the above substances and applied in a thick layer to the stain for 2-3 hours.
Mix alcohol with shavings of laundry soap dissolved in water. Wet the oil stain with the mixture, and after 15-20 minutes remove it with hot water and soap.
Purified gasoline, glycerin or turpentine. Apply a napkin or sponge soaked in one of the products to the stain for 10-15 minutes.

There are other ways to remove greasy stains from denim , wool, cotton and other materials. They can be used separately or in combination, remembering to test the cleaner on a test piece of fabric each time.

Removing colored wax

A few words need to be said about cleaning clothes from colored wax. If a drop from a decorative candle falls on the fabric, it will be difficult to remove due to the coloring pigment. What is necessary?

Remove wax deposits by scraping or freezing.
Try to locally wash out the colored stain using an industrial stain remover, for example: Vanish, Sarma 5 in 1, Antipyatin.

Alternatively, you can take the item to a dry cleaner or cover up the damaged area by embroidering it or gluing on a ready-made applique.

Wax stains are not that difficult to remove in most cases. The main thing is to test the chosen product on an inconspicuous area of the garment and follow the cleaning algorithm.