Things You'll Need
Towels or paper towels
Plastic scraper
Hair dryer
Clothing iron
You may have paraffin wax in multiple places around your home. Like most wax, paraffin is often used in candles, but it can also be found as a support structure in flower arrangements, in certain cosmetics and on wax paper. WR Medical Electronics in Stillwater, Minnesota has even found a way to make paraffin a therapeutic, medicinal material, using it in soaks and treatments to moisturize skin. With all of this paraffin around, you will sometimes find a spill on your hardwood floor, carpet or table. Follow the proper steps to remove paraffin quickly without causing damage to the surface.
Step 1
Wipe up as much of the spill as you can with a towel or paper towel. The more wax you can clean up before it hardens, the easier it will be to remove the rest.
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Step 2
Scrape away as much of the hardened wax as you can using a plastic scraper so as not to scratch or tear any surfaces. If you do not have a plastic scraper, use the blunt edge of a butter knife or spoon.
Step 3
Set a hair dryer on medium heat and blow the hot air onto the wax stain. Wipe away the melting wax with towels or paper towels. Set the heat higher if necessary to melt the wax, as hair dryers run at different temperatures. Continue until the paraffin is completely gone. This will work best for hard surfaces such as tile floors.
Step 4
Lay a paper towel over the wax stain; use more than one towel if necessary to cover all of the paraffin.
Step 5
Set your clothing iron to medium heat and iron over the paper towels. You will begin to see melting wax absorbing into the paper towels. Change the paper towels as necessary until all of the wax has been absorbed. Use higher heat only if necessary to melt the wax.
Tip
Some stores carry wax removal solutions, which can help to break down the bond between the wax and the surface.
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