The candles have long been taken place of honor in the design of any holiday. They help create comfort and an elevated mood. However, after have a fun day birth or romantic dinner Many housewives are faced with traces of wax on their favorite trousers or dresses, tablecloths or fabric napkins, which can sometimes be very difficult to get rid of. We’ll tell you in our article how to remove wax from clothes without damaging the fabric.
Unfortunately, wax most often ends up on holiday outfits that are made from delicate fabrics. Therefore, it is very important to know how to remove paraffin from certain types of clothing.
There are several ways to help remove wax stains:
- Using steam;
- Using a heated iron;
- Cold method, based on using an ice pack or placing clothes in the freezer;
- Use of funds household chemicals.
As easy as pie
There is one very simple and at the same time effective method, how to remove a candle from your favorite clothes or tablecloth. This method is excellent for removing stains on cotton clothes, as well as other types of material that are not susceptible to high temperatures.
Note!
If you notice a candle drip on your clothing, remove it with a paper towel while the wax is still soft. Do not rub it on the fabric, but remove it with a gentle movement upper layer paraffin After this, the remaining base can be removed.
In order to remove the stain, we need paper or napkins, as well as an iron.
- Remove the top layer of wax using a knife or any other object suitable for this purpose. Owners long nails can use them;
- Remember the fabric where the stain occurred. Since cooled paraffin is a fragile substance, most of it will crumble;
- Place the soiled item on ironing board so that the stain is at the top;
- Place one napkin on it and under it (you can also use paper kitchen towels, the main thing is that they are white);
- Turn on the iron at the lowest power. The steaming function must be turned off;
- Iron the napkin. The wax remaining in the fabric will begin to melt, flow out of the fabric and gradually be absorbed into paper napkin.
Video: how to remove wax using paper and iron:
To completely get rid of the stain, you need to carry out this procedure several times, constantly adjusting the clean napkin. After a few minutes there will be no traces of paraffin left.
Note!
This type of cleaning is not suitable for delicate fabrics.
"Cold" cleansing
Using a freezer, you can easily remove wax stains from a jacket or any other leather item.
It is enough to place the item in the freezer for several hours. Our goal is to harden the paraffin so that it resembles a stone.
Afterwards, just rub the wax thoroughly with your hands so that it crumbles completely, and if necessary, wipe off the remaining greasy stain by usual means for washing.
"Capricious" fabrics
Remaining paraffin from suede fabric will help remove steam. To do this, it is enough to bring water in any container to a boil and hold the item over the resulting steam. If you think this method is risky, use the included hair dryer. Hot air can easily cope with the task.
How to remove greasy stains left after waxing on your favorite velvet dress? In the case of this expensive and beautiful material We need a solvent, preferably organic.
The best solution to this issue is alcohol or turpentine. Soak a piece of cloth in alcohol and fix it on the stain for about 20 minutes. After this, the remaining paraffin from the fabric can be removed by washing with regular laundry detergent or laundry soap.
Video: how to remove stains with alcohol
Note!
Use refined gasoline for this delicate fabric it is forbidden!
If your favorite chiffon blouse has a “decoration” in the form of a wax stain, use ammonia. Dilute half a teaspoon of alcohol in 1 liter of water and wipe the desired area with this solution.
Wool and silk materials
There are two ways to remove paraffin from such very delicate fabrics.
Method 1
After pre-freezing and cleaning off any traces of wax, apply a few drops of dish soap. Rub the stain thoroughly until a thick foam forms on it and leave for several hours. Then wash the product in the washing machine, selecting the desired washing mode.
Method 2
Before washing normally, run the item under very hot water for a few minutes. Make sure that the water “passes” directly through the stain and does not just run off the clothing.
Note!
When removing stains from such fabrics, it is necessary to work gently on the material without stretching it. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting rid of the stain and acquiring other difficulties in the form of deformed fabric.
Favorite jeans
Considering that jeans are universal clothing that both men and women prefer to wear, the question of how to remove wax from this fabric is very relevant.
Peculiarities denim consist in its strength and ability to resist shrinkage and various types of deformation. Therefore, you can remove paraffin stains from jeans using both hot and cold methods.
Try soaking them in very hot water with added washing powder for no less than half an hour. You can then wash them normally in a washing machine or by hand.
"Colored" spots
The most difficult stains, which are almost impossible to get rid of, are left by colored candles. In this case, you cannot use a hot iron, as hot steam will only fix the stain on the fabric.
There is one way to remove colored wax from clothes.
- Freeze the stain by placing an ice pack on it. Wait until it hardens completely;
- Thoroughly rub the item in the area of the stain so that not a single piece of paraffin remains on it;
- The remaining multi-colored stain must be treated with a solvent, soaking the item in it for several hours. Afterwards, it is enough to wash the product with a good powder in the washing machine.
After washing, there are 2 possible scenarios:
- The paint has washed off, but the greasy stain remains. This is the most good option, since in this case you can already use a hot iron;
- The grease was washed off, but the paint remained. In this case, the only option to cover the stain will be a beautiful applique or embroidery, since there is no other way to remove the ugly mark.
Let's sum it up
We have given the most popular ways to wash a candle from various types fabrics. Whichever one you choose, you must remember that the difficulty of such contaminants lies in the deep penetration of paraffin into the fabric and solidification between the fibers. Therefore, simple washing will not eliminate unpleasant candle marks.
The main thing when removing such stains is to extract the wax from the depths of the fabric, and then choose what you can use to remove the greasy stain.
Video - wax cleaning:
Those who have dealt with candle stains know that cleaning paraffin is quite difficult. Moreover, the longer the stain lasts, the more effort you will have to put in. Often such spots appear during periods of power outages, when there is no light, and you have to use candles. It's easy to trip or bump into things in the dark, resulting in drips and stains on the floor, furniture, and other places. If you do not immediately notice such a stain, then after a while it will not be easy to remove the paraffin.
Paraffin tends to stick tightly to various surfaces, and then it is very difficult to scrape off or wipe off with a rag. Perhaps paraffin is easily removed only from smooth, even surfaces - glass, plastic, metal. If paraffin gets on fabric - furniture, tablecloth or clothing, then old stain becomes a real problem, and often such things are thrown away.
However, paraffin stains can be treated and can be done at home. There are several ways to get rid of paraffin stains. To get started, you should stock up on the following materials and tools:
- CD or plastic card
- Clean cotton cloths and paper napkins
- Alcohol
- Vacuum cleaner
- Turpentine
- Hair dryer
Removing paraffin from metal, plastic and glass
When it gets on such surfaces, paraffin quickly hardens and can then be easily removed using a flat, hard object. The main thing is that this item does not damage the surface, so it is better not to use sharp knives and scrapers. Plastic cards or CDs are best suited for these purposes. With their help, paraffin is removed, and its remains are removed using a hairdryer - they heat the surface, and the melted paraffin is removed with paper napkins.
Removing paraffin from tablecloths, clothes and bedspreads
Paraffin hardens on fabric very quickly, and to remove it you will need an iron, knives or a spoon. Place three or four napkins, blotting paper and a cotton cloth on the stain. We heat the iron to maximum or heat up a knife (spoon) and press this object against a stack of napkins and fabric. You need to iron the stain several times, and under the influence of heat, the paraffin will begin to melt and be absorbed into napkins and blotting paper. For better effect you need to repeat the procedure several times, and each time you need to use new napkins and blotting paper. After removing the paraffin, a greasy stain may remain, so it must be washed with laundry soap or detergent (you can use dishwashing detergent). If the stain was on clothes or a tablecloth, then the items should be washed in washing machine.
If the paraffin stain is not very large and the substance is not strongly absorbed into the fabric, then cold exposure can be used. The item is placed in a plastic bag and placed in the freezer. After some time, the paraffin hardens and becomes brittle and can be removed piece by piece.
You can also remove paraffin from fabric using gasoline or turpentine. It is applied to the stained area, but do not rub the liquid into the fabric. After some time, the paraffin should clear, but after this a greasy stain may remain; this should be removed with alcohol. After all these procedures, it is better to wash the item in a washing machine.
Paraffin stains on delicate fabrics can be removed using dishwashing detergent. It is applied to the damaged area in a thick layer and left for several hours. Then the items are washed in a washing machine using stain removal powder.
Paraffin is quite difficult to remove from fleecy fabrics - velvet, plush, suede, etc. In this case, turpentine or alcohol is also used. Apply turpentine or alcohol to a clean cotton cloth and gently rub off the stain. Then the items are washed in a washing machine with stain remover. Before using turpentine, you should check the fabric for resistance to this substance so as not to spoil the item. Apply a little turpentine to an inconspicuous place, for example on the back seam, and watch the reaction of the fabric. if it has changed color or structure. Then this remedy is not suitable. Alcohol is more gentle and can be used on a larger number of fabrics.
Removing paraffin from carpets
Exposure to cold is best in these cases, but you can’t put the carpet in the freezer, so they use another method. You will need ice from the freezer. Take a large piece of ice or crushed pieces of ice, wrap them in a bag (so as not to soak the carpet) and apply the package to the paraffin stain. Wait until the paraffin has completely hardened, and then use a heavy object (for example, a hammer) to crush the paraffin. It should crumble into small fragments that can be easily removed with a vacuum cleaner. If there is a greasy stain left, you can wipe the area with alcohol.
Did you get paraffin on the fabric? Don't get discouraged, there are many ways to remove wax from clothes without leaving stains on them. Depending on the composition of the contaminated fabric, you will need a different set of available tools: an iron, paper napkins, rags, turpentine, purified gasoline, wine or ammonia.
Ways to remove candle wax from fabric
The first stage, common to all things, is mechanical removal frozen wax. Wait until the paraffin becomes hard and use a non-sharp object to scratch off the drops. Work slowly and carefully so as not to damage the fabric. When you remove the wax, you will notice that there are greasy or colored stains on the clothing. Eat simple ways bring them out.
Synthetics
Clothing made from artificial fabrics is sensitive to high temperatures, so boiling and ironing methods are not suitable for them. To remove wax from synthetics, use one of the following methods:
- Place a clean, slightly damp towel on the ironing board, place the soiled clothes on top and cover with a thick cloth. Heat the iron to minimum temperature and iron the dirty area. When the wax is completely absorbed into the towel, wash the item as usual.
- From artificial or natural fur Paraffin on coats can be removed by freezing. Place the item in the freezer or hang it on the balcony for 2 hours (if the temperature outside is minus). After this, the wax will be easily removed from the villi. To freeze paraffin, you can use an ice pack.
- Place contaminated clothing in water heated to 50-70°C for 2 minutes. Next, use a clean rag to remove any remaining wax. Don't try to scrub the stain - you'll make the situation worse. If the problem is not solved the first time, repeat the procedure.
- If the clothes cannot be washed, treat the stained area with a cotton swab soaked in medical or denatured alcohol at 45°C. The stain must be wiped every 10 minutes until it disappears completely.
Wax marks on velvet or plush are removed with warm alcohol or turpentine.
You need to soak a cotton swab in one of these liquids and blot the dirt. Then wash the item in warm soapy water and rinse well.
Jeans
The material is resistant to shrinkage and deformation, so stains can be removed from it either cold or hot. Options:
- Soak the product for 30 minutes in hot water (50-60°C) with powder. Wash the item intensively by hand or in a washing machine.
- Preheat the iron and iron the clothes through a paper towel or cotton cloth.
- Freeze the item of clothing and clean the paraffin mechanically. Wash the item in warm soapy water.
Natural fabrics
Clothing made from cotton and wool can withstand high temperatures well, so the wax can be easily removed using a hot iron and paper towels.
Place blotting cloths under and over the dirt. Iron the paraffin stains until the grease is no longer absorbed by the towels. You can remove wax from linen clothes in the same way, but place a cotton cloth and damp gauze under it, and a paper towel or napkin in two layers on top. If the stain is colored, the hot method cannot be used.
To remove paraffin and grease stains from clothing made from other natural fabrics/materials, use one of the suggested methods:
- To clean silk, apply cologne to the affected area. Leave the clothes for 15 minutes, then wash in warm water.
- Wax on leather jacket This is how it is cleaned: take the clothes out into the cold for 30-40 minutes. Then fold the stained area in half. The paraffin will crack and can be easily cleaned with your fingernails or other non-sharp object. Treat the remaining greasy stain with a solution of laundry soap and water, then wipe the product dry.
- Plain natural fabric can be soaked in hot water (60°C) for 20 minutes. The paraffin will begin to melt and come off without a trace.
- To remove colored wax stains from cotton and linen, use a homemade solvent. Mix purified lighter gasoline, wine alcohol and ammonia in a ratio of 1:1:6. Soak a cotton pad in the solution and blot the stained area. Leave for 10 minutes, remove any residue with a wet, warm cloth. The method is not suitable for clothes made of wool, silk, or satin.
- Grease stain on fine wool or colored wool natural fabric can be washed with detergent. Apply it to the stain using rubbing movements and leave for 2 hours. Wash as normal.
- Method for cleaning bright materials: dissolve 1 tsp in 1 liter of water. ammonia. Soak the item in this liquid, leave for 30 minutes, rinse well with a scented conditioner. For things with lace inserts, beads, sequins, use the same method, but dissolve ammonia in 2 liters of water.
Suede
Use a special suede brush to remove beads of hard wax. The less of it left, the better. Be careful not to stretch the material or rub paraffin into the fibers. Next, use one of the suggested methods:
- Boil water in a basin, hold the item over the steam for 3-5 minutes. You can use a steam generator or an iron in the “steam” mode. The wax will begin to melt, use a brush to clean it off. Movements should only be in one direction. If the marks have not disappeared, wipe the contaminated area with a cloth moistened with soapy water (0.5 l) and ammonia (1 tsp).
- Clean your clothes with a solution made from 10 g of wine alcohol, 35 g of ammonia, 50 g of purified alcohol. Moisten a cotton pad with this liquid and apply it to the stain (do not rub it in, you may damage the material!). Wait 2 minutes, wipe off the dirt with a damp foam sponge.
- You can also remove paraffin from clothes with the following solution: 300 ml of water, 20 g of soda, 10 ml of oxalic acid. Moisten a cotton swab with the mixture, apply it to the remaining wax, wait 2 minutes. Remove any remaining paraffin with a special brush.
The first wax known to mankind is probably earwax. However, ears never became a popular source of wax. Instead, we climbed into the bees' hives. Beeswax turned out to be more good choice. Currently, wax is obtained from other insects, as well as from animals, such as sheep (lanolin, wool wax) and sperm whales (spermaceti). We also learned to extract plant wax, the sources of which were carnauba, jojoba, waxweed, rice bran and soybean. And finally, one cannot fail to mention mineral waxes - paraffin, stearin, rosin and so on.
So, plant, animal and mineral waxes. Chances are, if you need to remove wax, you are dealing with one of these types. Luckily, since all waxes have similar properties, the tips for getting rid of wax marks work with any wax, regardless of its origin.
A few preliminary notes. You will have to use cold and heat to remove the wax. Cold makes the wax brittle and in this state it is easier to remove. Ice packs, ice cubes, dry ice or even a liquid nitrogen must do their job. The heat from a hair dryer or iron melts the wax, allowing it to easily transfer to an absorbent surface such as a paper towel or napkin. Now for more detailed tips.
How to remove wax from fabric
Cool the wax stain with ice. Use a dull butter knife to scrape off the wax. After scraping off the wax, the only wax remaining will be that which has become embedded in the fibers of the fabric.
Iron the stain. Heat the iron to the recommended setting for your fabric. Place the paper over and under the wax stain, that is, under the fabric the stain is sitting on. If you don't do this, the wax will soak into the ironing board and then transfer to the next item you iron. Iron over fabric sandwiched between two layers of paper. After 30 seconds of ironing, lift the paper to see how much wax you have removed. Change the paper and continue until it has absorbed all the wax.
Wash. Ironing should have removed almost all the wax. If the candle was colored, the dye could leave a mark on the fabric. This stain should be removed like any other. Use a stain remover like OxiClean. It is made from wood ash treated with hydrogen peroxide. Soak the stain with stain remover for a while before washing. If the fabric cannot be washed, you will have to dry clean it.
How to remove wax from wood
Care is required here to avoid scratching the wood surface. Most quick way removing wax from wood means removing or scraping large pieces. If necessary, melt any fine residue with a hairdryer and blot the melted wax with a paper towel. After all the wax has been absorbed, polish the wood with a special furniture care product.
How to remove wax from carpet
It's difficult, but not impossible. Freeze the wax with ice. Once it's frozen, break the clump with a hammer and vacuum it up. Refreeze the stuck residue, crush it with something, and vacuum again.
When freezing the wax, be careful not to let it get wet. To do this, ice can be wrapped in polyethylene. Use a stiff brush to loosen small pieces from the carpet and vacuum them up immediately. If at the end of the procedure there is wax dye left on the carpet, remove it as you would remove any other stain.
Removing wax from hard surfaces such as glass
This is the easiest case. If the affected item goes into the freezer, place it there for an hour to freeze the wax. Then break off as much wax as you can. Repeat if necessary. Use tools that will not scratch the surface being cleaned. It’s convenient to use your fingernails, but if you feel sorry for them, hard plastic, such as a bank card, is also good for this purpose (use an unnecessary one, as the card may break).
To remove wax residue, use a hair dryer to melt the wax and a paper towel to absorb it. If the object is still frozen, wait until it reaches room temperature before melting it with hot air.
The use of wax candles has become an original decoration element. However, candles can become a source of contamination to clothing. The question of how to remove wax from clothes very often arises among housewives.
Putting a wax stain on the fabric from which the clothes are made is quite simple, especially since such a situation arises in right moment, for example, during a date or celebration with lit candles. Immediately after the wax gets on the fabric or clothing, an almost imperceptible stain is formed, which over time can form an unpleasant greasy mark on the clothing. Experts recommend getting rid of such stains as quickly as possible so that you don’t have to put your favorite item aside or throw it away altogether. The widespread use of candles made from paraffin and wax leads to the fact that the question of how to remove wax from clothes is very relevant today. Moreover, there is a large number of ways to remove wax from clothes at home.
Widespread use of candles made from paraffin and wax leads to stains
To the question of many housewives about whether it is possible to wash candle wax from clothes, the answer will be in the affirmative. It is easy to get rid of such contamination of the fabric from which clothing is made if you know how to do it correctly.
There are several different ways to remove wax from clothes.
Mechanical removal of fresh contamination with a knife
The most common methods for removing wax stains are:
- hot stain removal method, carried out using an iron and paper napkins;
- cold removal method, used to remove stains from delicate fabrics;
- removal of contaminants with solvents and acetone;
- removing wax stains using dishwashing liquid;
- a method of removing wax from the surface of a fabric by steam treatment;
- the use of ammonia;
- mechanical removal of fresh contamination with a knife or other sharp object.
Advice! After using any of these methods, it is recommended to consolidate the result by washing the item in the washing machine.
In addition, washing the item allows you to remove any remaining dirt from the surface of the fabric from which the clothing is made.
By using special means household chemicals can remove wax stains
Very often you can hear from housewives the question of how you can wash candle wax from clothes if the dirt is very ingrained. The answer to the question of whether it is possible to remove a stubborn wax stain from clothing is yes. For this purpose, you should use household chemicals, washing powder or special products designed to remove stains.
How to remove wax stains using steam and temperature?
Wearing clothes that show wax stains is not only completely uncomfortable, but also undignified. If the housewife does not have the knowledge of how to remove wax from clothes, it is recommended to contact a specialized household chemicals store. Store sales consultants will advise or recommend the best means for removing wax stains from clothes. You can also contact a professional dry cleaner for advice on how to remove wax stains from the surface of clothing.
Steam removal is the most common
Removing contamination using steam is the most common. This method of removing stains is suitable for getting rid of wax on things made from suede.
In order to remove the stain, you need to hold the area with the stain over steam for some time. Impact high temperature will cause the wax to begin to melt and come off. After the wax melts, use cotton napkins to remove the melted wax and clean the cloth. Once you have finished removing the stain, you will need to wash the item of clothing as usual using any washing or detergent.
Wax has a low melting point, which allows you to use a household iron to remove it from clothing. For this purpose, the device should be heated to 60 degrees Celsius. Place a paper napkin covered with a small piece of cloth on top of the contaminated area of the item. Using a heated iron, iron the contaminated area several times until the wax transfers from the fabric to the paper napkin. If necessary, the napkin should be replaced with a clean one during stain removal.
Wax has a low melting point, which allows you to use a household iron to remove it from clothing.
Cold method for removing wax stains
Wax contamination is most easily removed from the surface of the fabric if the substance has completely hardened and has not had time to saturate the fabric. Clothing with wax contamination on its surface must be placed in plastic bag and close tightly. This is necessary so that there is minimal access of air into it, after which you should place the bag in the freezer. If the item is large and does not fit in the freezer, then it can be covered with ice packs.
The bag containing contaminated clothing should be placed in the freezer.
Once the paraffin freezes, it easily begins to crumble and be removed from the surface of the fabric from which the clothing is made. In this way, even extensive stains on clothing can be removed. After the bulk of the wax contamination has been removed, you should wash the item as usual.
This method of removing wax stains is ideal for those housewives who do not know how to properly remove stains from clothes. bThis method of cleaning clothes can be applied to both delicate fabrics and more resistant materials.
Important! Any residual contamination on the surface of the fabric from which the garment is made is undesirable.
After the main contamination has been removed, very often residual stains remain on the clothes, which in some cases are quite difficult to remove.
To get rid of greasy wax stains, you can use laundry soap.
In some cases, when used to remove solvents, a greasy stain forms at the site of wax contamination. Removal of the resulting stain should be started immediately.
To get rid of such contamination, you can use laundry soap. In addition, various stain-removing compounds and products can be used to remove grease stains. However, before using any product, you should read the instructions for use. Many of the existing tools have high degree aggressiveness, which can lead to damage to the product during use. Oily stains on delicate fabrics should be washed in an automatic machine using the delicate cycle.
How to remove wax stains from the surface of denim?
At the moment, there is practically no person who does not use clothes made from denim. Denim fabric has now become so popular that it is used to make variety of clothes. Clothes made from denim without stretch can withstand washing in any mode. As soon as a wax stain is identified, the item should be soaked in heated water for 30 minutes and after that the item should be washed by hand. For washing you can use automatic washing machine. To use the latter, you should set the heating temperature within 50-60 degrees Celsius. This temperature will be enough for the wax stain to easily come away from the denim.
