How to Clean Wax From Clothing or Material

Wax drips can usually be removed from clothing.

It only takes a second for wax to drip from a candle and land on a favorite outfit, tablecloth or other material. Not only does the wax spot look unsightly, color and oil additives in the wax can also seep into the fabric and create a spot underneath the wax. While there are some fabrics that may be permanently damaged by dripping wax, in most cases it can be removed and any resulting stains lifted away with quick and proper treatment.

Things You'll Need

• Ice cubes
• Butter knife
• White paper towels
• Iron
• Laundry detergent

Instructions

1. Rub the wax spot with ice. This will harden the wax and make it easier to peel or chip away from the fabric.

2. Scrape as much wax away from the fabric as possible using a butter knife or other thin, dull instrument. Take care not to damage the fabric. Work in small sections if there is a large amount of wax or it is difficult to remove.

3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 if all of the wax will not scrape away easily.

4. Place a white paper towel on an ironing board and lay the fabric on top of the paper towel, with the wax spot against the paper towel.

5. Set the iron to a medium-low setting.

6. Iron the back of the fabric. This will cause the wax to melt into the paper towel.

7. Change the paper towel and continue to iron the back of the fabric until the wax and any stain is barely visible.

8. Rub a dab of laundry detergent or laundry stain remover into any remaining wax stain.

9. Wash the fabric in warm or hot water, using regular laundry detergent.

Tips & Warnings

• Treat the wax spot as soon as possible. The longer it remains, the more difficult it may be to remove any color or stain resulting from the spot.

• Don't wash delicate fabrics in hot water.

References

• North Dakota State University: Candle Wax Stain
• University of Missouri Extension: Removing Candle Wax