How To Remove Candle Wax Out Of Carpet

Do you keep wax melts and candles on hand at all times in your home? If so, you have likely experienced the dreaded spilling of a candle or wax melt at one time or another.

Unfortunately, when candles hit the carpet, it may seem hopeless to even attempt to clean it. However, with a few tips and tricks, you can learn how to remove candle wax out of the carpet and just about any surface area without feeling stumped and overwhelmed.

What You Will Need to Remove Candle Wax

When you spill candle wax onto your carpet, don’t fret. There are multiple methods to help with getting a candle up from the carpet and removing it from flooring and other surfaces altogether. For both methods highlighted here today, you will be working with warmth or cold.

When Freezing Wax in Carpet, You Will Need:

Method 1: Freezing Wax to Remove it From Carpet

One of the easiest ways to remove wax from any surface is to simply freeze it. This method helps break apart larger spills of wax into chunks so that they can be easily removed with minimal effort.

Step 1: Gather Ice

Gather a bowl of ice, a bag of ice, or even an ice pack depending on the amount of wax you are intending to freeze and clean up from your carpet. You should have enough ice to cover the entire area of the candle spill along with additional ice to form another layer on top.

Let the ice remain on the spilled wax until it has completely solidified, which should take approximately 5 minutes. If you do not have ice or an ice pack readily available, you can also use a frozen bag of vegetables, fruit, or another type of food from the freezer to assist in the process.

Step 2: Use Your Scraper/Butter Knife

Use a butter knife or a paint scraper to chip at the frozen wax in the carpet once the ice has done its job. Attempt to find accessible areas that allow you to easily lift up the frozen wax for quick removal. You can also use the scraper and butter knife to slice at smaller areas of frozen wax.

Method 2: Using Heat to Remove Wax From Carpet

Some people may opt to utilize heat when attempting to remove wax from carpet, while others seek out this method only if freezing the wax does not provide a full solution.

Removing wax from carpets can sometimes be a tricky ordeal, as depending on the kind of wax that was spilled and the type of carpet it is stuck too, doing so may cause more debris or even small patches of residue to form.

To clean up spilled wax from your carpet, you can use the heat of an iron and a cotton towel to absorb the mess. Simply place the towel over the stain and run a warm iron back and forth until all of it has been absorbed into your chosen cloth.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

• When opting to work with heat in order to get candle wax out of your carpet, you will require just a few supplies. The most important item to help get you started includes a basic cotton towel. Avoid using fancy or silk towels, as cotton towels are typically the most absorbent towels on the market.
• You will also require a household iron to help with heating up the paper towel once it is in place over your wax spill. In some cases, other heating tools such as low-setting blowdryers may work to help heat the wax on your carpet, depending on the type of carpet you are working with as well as the size of the spill area.

In some instances, you may also require a bit of water to help dampen the towel you are working with if you do not notice the wax melting or absorbing properly throughout the process.

Step 2: Setting Up Your Towel

Select a cotton towel or multiple towels that will cover as much of the spill area as possible. You may require more than one towel if you have an excess of wax that has spilled or if you are dealing with an array of debris pieces types stuck in your carpet.

Step 3: Heating Up the Wax in Your Carpet

• Place the towel directly over the spilled area, whether the wax is still wet or if it has completely dried and hardened on its own.
• Once you have placed the towel directly over the spill area, you can then use your home iron to directly heat your towel, moving it slowly in a back and forth motion.
• As you press lightly and gently, you should begin to notice that the wax is changing texture and shape as it softens and melts.
• Lift and remove the towel from the spill to collect and absorb as much of the mess as possible.
• If there is leftover candle wax anywhere else on your carpet, it is highly advisable to use a new cotton towel to avoid sticking residue and wax you have already collected back into your carpet.

Cleaning the Remaining Debris and/or Removing Stains

Once you have completed the process of removing the majority of the spilled candle on your carpet using either cold or warm, you may notice that there is leftover debris or in some cases, even stains.

• First, use a handheld or standard vacuum to attempt to remove the remaining pieces of wax that are still in your carpet, as long as it is not too warm or melted.
• If the wax is warm or has a melted texture again, refreeze the remaining spill area using an ice pack or additional ice cubes for another five minutes prior to scraping and vacuuming the area again. Repeat as necessary.
• After you have removed as much wax as possible from the spill area, place the solvent or powder over the remaining stained area or area that has small debris. Follow the instructions of your preferred carpet cleaner or solvent for the best results.
• Allow the spray, solvent, or powder to soak into your carpet. Once you have allowed the solvent to work, vacuum and clean the remaining leftovers and debris from the area. Repeat as necessary.

Conclusion

If you find yourself working with candles regularly or if you simply love having candles throughout your home at all times, knowing how to clean candle spills from carpet and other traditional surfaces is a must. Once you are comfortable with managing wax and maintaining all kinds of surface areas with candles, you can rest assured knowing you are well-prepared to take on and handle any spill you experience.

If you have encountered a wax carpet spill, which method of cleaning worked best for you? Do you prefer to utilize the cold or heat to remove candle wax from your carpets, and why? Leave a comment to let us know what you think in the comment section below!

Carole Brooks

Carole Brooks has been making candles for many years. She loves to create candles of all different types and for all different purposes. Here she shares her experience and knowledge. Carole is a graduate of Texas A&M University.