How To

How to Get Wax Off a Tablecloth

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(98 Ratings)

If the warm glow of dinner candles has left you with a cold, hardened tablecloth stain the next morning, don't let it spoil the mood. Here's an easy way to remove caked-on wax and have that tablecloth ready for another romantic meal by tonight.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Laundry Detergent
  • Prewash Stain Remover
  • Iron
  • Plain Brown Paper Bags
  • Spatula Or Spoon
  1. Step 1

    Scoop up excess wax with a spatula or a spoon.

  2. Step 2

    Lay the tablecloth on an ironing board, and place a plain paper sack over the wax stain. Apply a warm (not hot) iron to the paper. Replace the wax-saturated paper bag as needed. Continue until wax is no longer transferring to the paper.

  3. Step 3

    Treat colored candle stains with a prewash stain remover, or apply detergent directly on the spot prior to washing. (Remember to pretest spot removers and stain removers in an inconspicuous area prior to treating stains.)

  4. Step 4

    Launder the tablecloth with detergent in the hottest water that's safe for the fabric. Wax-based stains must be melted to be removed from the fabric fibers.

  5. Step 5

    Make sure the stain is completely removed before placing your tablecloth in the dryer. If you're unsure, wash, wash again.

Tips & Warnings
  • Don't use a hot iron--it can burn the paper and fabric.
  • Always read the fabric care label.

Comments  

websmart said

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on 4/11/2009 WOW! It works - just amazing, thanks so much. We had a dinner party last night and it went like a treat except at end of the night the candles went wobbly (not us :-D) and laydown onto our tablecloth and rest. So glad to have found this website, will visit and contribute more often from now on.

Susancnw said

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on 11/30/2008 And this is a perfect method. I used it to remove RED candlewax from a white lace tablecloth years ago. The wax came off, I pretreated the stain thoroughly, let it dry, then pretreated again and washed.

It had been a wedding gift to a friend and she thought it was ruined and gave it to me for scrap. She was so thrilled when I surprised her with it again.

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