How to Remove Candle Wax

If you’re candle-obsessive like me, sooner or later, you’re going to end up spilling candle wax on something. But fear not! I have a few quick and easy tips to help you remove the wax and leave your carpet, tablecloth, etc. like the iconic 2000s CBS show – Without A Trace. 

The tricky thing is that your approach to removing spilled candle wax has to change depending on where the wax has spilled. It may surprise you but often the key to removing wax is by (carefully) adding more heat, usually with an iron or blow dryer.

Glass

One of my favorite things about candles is that you get a beautiful jar that can be cleaned out with minor effort and reused. With NuMe Moods candles, you receive a beautiful, glossy jar that can be repurposed in countless ways.

To clean the candle jars, scrap out as much of the wax as possible with a butter knife or spoon. You can then use a blow dryer to soften the remaining wax. When the wax has softened, wipe out the jar with a paper towel, removing the wax. If desired, you can also use a glass cleaner to remove the label and any sticky residue from the outside of the jar.

Carpet

Carpet may seem like the scariest surface to spill wax on, but surprisingly, it’s not too tricky to remove wax. With some brown paper bags and an iron, you can quickly get your carpet back to its old, no spilled candle wax self! Lay a paper bag over the spilled wax, and run over the bag with an iron on low heat. The wax should re-melt and be absorbed by the bag. You may need to slowly increase the iron’s heat to remove all of the wax.

Clothes and other fabrics

If possible, put the item in the freezer to cool the wax until it’s hardened. If the item can’t be frozen, you can use an ice cube on the area for the same effect. Once it has cooled and solidified, scrap off as much of the wax with a butter knife. Use the same iron and paper bag tip from above to remove the remaining wax.

Wood

Fortunately, wood is one of the easiest surfaces to remove candle wax. Avoid scraping the wax in attempts to remove it, because in doing so, it’s easy to scratch the wood. Use a blow dryer to soften the wax. Using a paper towel, dab, rather than wiping which could spread the wax, to remove it.

A word from the wise – be careful with trying to remove wax that is still hot.  While it can be easier sometimes to remove spilled wax while it’s still melted and liquid, it’s easy to burn yourself this way. Sometimes it’s better to wait until the wax has cooled and re-solidified before attempting to remove it.

Best of luck to my fellow candle lovers in keeping their wax inside their candle jars (until you’re ready to clean them out) and away from other surfaces in your home!