How to Get Wax Out of Carpet
No matter how careful you are with candles, accidents can happen. While we usually think of the flame as the most damaging part of a candle, the wax can also damage your home when spilt. Hair removal wax, cheese rinds and earwax can also meld into your carpet, so it's important that you address the problem as soon as possible. Here is how to get wax out of carpet.
1. Solidifying
If your spillage is liquid wax from a candle, it's easier to clean if you let it harden first. You can speed up this process using a plastic bag filled with ice cubes. The plastic bag will make sure that your carpet doesn't get wet. Place the bag of ice cubes on the wax, and it should harden within about 10 minutes. If any water escapes the bag, use a paper towel to blot it away.
2. Scraping
Your first line of defence against a waxy carpet is a blunt instrument like a spatula. Once the wax has hardened, break it up with a spatula. You should then be able to vacuum up the pieces.
Be careful not to scrape so hard that you damage your carpet. Loop pile carpets are especially susceptible to damage, so be gentle with them.
This technique is the best choice for coloured wax. If the wax has already begun to stain your carpet, it's best to call in a professional cleaner for help.
3. Heating
If the wax is clinging to the fibres of your carpet, you can use an iron to melt it away. Place some brown paper over the wax. As you heat it, the way should adhere to the paper rather than the carpet. Make sure that your iron is not so hot that it damages your carpet fibres, and only use the tip of the iron. It's also important that you keep the iron moving, or this can lead to heat damage too.
If you don't have an iron, you can use a hairdryer. Make sure that you don't put this too close, as this can cause damage to your carpet, too. A terry-cloth towel can also be used instead of brown paper, but you risk ruining the towel, so an iron and brown paper are the preferable tools.
Don't try this method with coloured wax, as you could cause the colour to bleed.
4. Blotting
To remove any wax residue, blot the area with a cloth soaked in surgical or white spirit. You can also use a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Otherwise, the residue could lead to browning, resoiling and discolouration.
Call in a professional carpet cleaner
Whether your carpet is stained by stubborn residue or you need help with the wax itself, a professional carpet cleaner knows how to get wax out of carpet. Use the National Carpet Cleaning Association (NCCA) directory to find accredited carpet cleaners all over the UK. Every cleaner is insured and experienced in carpet cleaning and revitalisation.
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