How to Remove Paste Wax From Wood

Clean off old hardened paste wax before repolishing your furniture and hardwood floors.

Correctly applied, paste wax brings out the natural beauty of hardwood by enhancing its patina and imparting a velvety finish to the surface. It also helps to maintain the wood's natural moisture balance, thereby minimizing expansion and shrinkage. Paste wax repels dust, water and alcohol, and you can apply it directly onto untreated wood and over most finishes. However, when applied to urethane, a chemical imbalance between the two finishes creates an electrostatic affect that attracts dust and grime, rather than repelling it. Additionally, applying too much paste wax tends to mar its velvet-like sheen.

Things You'll Need

• Paste wax
• Rag
• Non-alkaline soap
• 0000 steel wool
• Vacuum cleaner
• Mop
• Odorless mineral spirits

Instructions

1. Clean an old layer of hardened wax on the surface of hardwood furniture with a rag dampened with a mixture of non-alkaline soap and lukewarm water. Dislodge stubborn wax by gently rubbing the area with 0000 steel wool dipped into the cleaning mixture. Remove all traces of soap by wiping the surface down with a fresh rag dampened with clean water.

2. Vacuum and then damp mop your hardwood floor to remove all dust and grit from the surface before removing the old layer of paste wax.

3. Scrub the floor with a rag soaked in odorless mineral spirits. Work in 2-foot-square sections by wiping the rag back and forth with the grain. Rinse the rag and reload it with fresh mineral spirits often. Wipe the softened wax off the floor with a fresh rag before it dries. Loosen stubborn layers of paste wax with 0000 steel wool, but take care not to abrade the hardwood surface. Inspect the floor against the light after it has dried completely. Go over any shiny areas a second time if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply fresh paste wax to hardwood furniture every six to 12 months. Apply a thin layer by running a rag over flat surfaces using a non-stop motion from one end to the other. Allow time for the paste wax to dry completely before buffing it to a high gloss with a soft cloth.

• When applying a thin layer of fresh paste wax to hardwood floors, go with the grain and work the polish into the surface with long, even strokes. Allow an hour's drying time. Use a domestic three-brush rotary floor polisher to buff the hardwood to a velvety sheen.

References

• iVillage: Hardwood Floors 101
• Wood Foor Doctor: How To Clean And Maintain Wood Floors
• Kingdom Restorations Ltd: Waxing Furniture Tips
• Natuonal Wood Flooring Association: Wax Floors
• Home Furnish: Wood Furniture Care