Removing Candle Wax From Your Carpet

Candles look nice but they can create many problems within your home. If candle wax has dripped onto your carpet, firstly don’t panic. It is actually possible to remove this once it has dried and hardened. To do this you will need a blunt instrument, such as a spatula, a heated domestic iron and some brown paper. Then follow the process below:

1. Using the blunt instrument, break down the wax and then vacuum away the hardened pieces.

2. Place the brown paper on top of the wax and move the iron around on top of the paper. This will remove the wax from the carpet. The trick is to keep the iron and paper on the move at all times, ensuring it is just hot enough to only melt the wax and not the carpet fibres. Do not use the ‘flat’ of the iron either, just lift it up from the back and use the front 30mm.

3. Once the hardened wax has been removed, gently blot the area with a piece of white kitchen towel dipped in either surgical or white spirit. This will remove any remaining grease residue and ensure that re-soiling does not occur.

Coloured wax can present more of a problem. This is because, when it melts, a dye or pigment is released, which can stain the carpet fibres on which it has landed. A suggestion in this situation is firstly to break up the wax with a blunt instrument and vacuum away. Removing the remaining pigment is a much more complex process, however, and it is advisable that you seek the advice of a professional carpet cleaner if staining has occurred.

If you are using candles in your home it is advisable to keep the wicks as short as possible; although a long wick will obviously create a brighter candle, it will also produce more soot.