Candles and furniture wax are usually used to beautify your home before and during certain events. Although they may look pleasing, they can also bring with them some problems such as wax drippings. You shouldn’t worry when wax drips onto your wood, furniture, skin, or tablecloth because there are easy ways to take them off.
Removing Wax From Wood and Furniture
There are many ways to remove wax from wood and furniture. Listed below are some methods:
Method 1 (candle wax):
1.) Make the wax gooey by warming it up with a hairdryer.
2.) Use a soft cloth to wipe it up.
3.) Use a vinegar and water solution to clean the remnants.
Method 2 (candle wax):
1.) Place some ice cubes in a tightly sealed plastic bag and then use it to freeze the wax.
2.) Scrape little bits of the frozen wax using a butter knife or an old credit card. Scraping the whole thing may ruin your wood.
3.) If there are any residues remaining, remove them by gently rubbing some cream furniture wax on using a soft, clean cloth.
Method 3 (furniture wax):
1.) Wipe the dust and dirt off of your furniture using clean and lint-free cloths. Old diapers and t-shirts are perfect options as polishing and dusting cloths.
2.) In a circular motion, buff the wood with elbow grease. This does the trick in many cases but there are some cases where you may need to do some extra work.
3.) If the wax wasn’t removed when buffing, you can use products that are specifically designed to remove furniture wax.
4.) Put some of the product on a soft, clean, cloth and rub it circularly on an inconspicuous area.
5.) If no problems occur, rub it on small sections of the wood until the wax on the surface disappears. After rubbing in circular motions, also rub in the direction of the grain of the wood.
6.) Apply some caranuba wax or beeswax as finish.
Method 4 (furniture paste wax):
1.) Pour some paint thinner on a rag and wipe it onto the surface.
2.) Areas that have more wax build-ups must be left to soak with the thinner for a while. Wipe repeatedly until the wax is removed. To see if there is still any wax left, slightly scrape an inconspicuous area with steel wool. If there is wax, it will easily lift onto the steel wool.
3.) Let the thinner dry and then put on a new layer of wax.
Method 5 (furniture acrylic wax):
1.) Make sure the area is well ventilated.
2.) Apply some ammonia-based wood stripper to a soft cloth and mop the surface of the wood.
3.) Let dry for 30-45 minutes and then alleviate the fumes by wiping it with a damp cloth.
4.) Put on a new layer of wax and let dry for 2-3 hours.
Removing Wax From a Tablecloth
Removing wax from tablecloths isn’t as hard as you may think. Simply follow these steps and watch that unwanted wax disappear:
1.) Dry and freeze the wax by putting the tablecloth in the freezer for a few days.
2.) Use a butter knife or any dull knife to scrape the excess wax on the fabric.
3.) Cover the stain with a cloth or paper bag.
4.) Iron the stain over the bag so that the wax will stick to the paper instead of the fabric. If your tablecloth is made from white cotton, linen, or colorfast fabric, you can pour boiling water on the stain.
5.) Let dry.
6.) If there are any remaining stains, use a stain removing solution or a mixture of rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide and water.
7.) Rub some liquid laundry detergent on the area and let it soak into the cloth for a few minutes.
8.) Rinse in hot water and let dry.
Removing Wax From Skin
Wax, either candle or hair removal wax, can also stick to your skin. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to get it out. Here are a few:
Method 1:
1.) Take out as much wax as possible using your hands.
2.) Warm some baby oil with hot water.
3.) Put some of the warm oil on a cotton ball and rub on the affected area.
4.) Use a wet cloth to rub the affected area in a circular motion until the wax sheds off. It is also a good idea to go with the direction of hair growth so you can avoid pulling hair that you don’t want removed.
Method 2:
1.) Take out as much wax as possible using your hands.
2.) Gently rub some alcohol on the affected area in a circular motion until the wax disappears.
3.) Put some mild lotion on the area because the alcohol may sting.
As you can see, removing wax from your household is not as hard as it seems. Simply follow the tips above to keep your house wax-free.
