When it comes to cleaning your carpet, tough stains will require special attention. From ink to red wine, your carpet is prone to stain often. Candle wax is no exception. However, getting candle wax out of your carpet is not as difficult as it may seem. Cleaning hard wax from a carpet should be a must-have skill in all homes. Your carpet may stain from red candle wax, Scentsy wax, eyebrow wax, or hair removal wax.
Here are a few DIYs you can use to remove wax from your carpet.
How to remove candle wax from carpet
Using a hairdryer
- Use a blunt knife to scrape off excess wax.
- Grab your hairdryer and turn it on to medium-high.
- Begin heating the wax. As it softens, wipe it off with a white paper towel. It is not advisable to use a printed paper towel.
- Continue heating and dabbing until you remove all the wax.
How to get wax out of a carpet using iron
What you need
- A towel or two
- Butter knife
- Vacuum cleaner
- Spoon
- Iron
- Carpet cleaning detergent or rubbing alcohol
Procedure
- With the butter knife, scrape off as much hardened wax as you can. Be careful not to damage the carpet with the knife.
- Use the vacuum cleaner to vacuum the loose wax particles.
- If you can scrape off more wax, go ahead and do so and vacuum again.
- Take a damp towel and place it over the hardened wax.
- Set your iron on low heat and position it on the damp towel. Press the towel for about 10 seconds. If there is no transfer of the wax to the towel, then the heat is too low. Adjust it to medium or high and press again. Be careful not to damage the fibers if yours is a synthetic carpet.
- Continue pressing until you remove all the hardened wax. When your towel is no longer damp or is covered with wax, replace it with another damp one.
- Apply your carpet cleaning detergent or rubbing alcohol over the stain and rub it into the fabric with a spoon. Dab the detergent with a clean towel until it dries.
- Avoid using a paper bag as a barrier because it tends to overheat and burn your carpet.
How does vinegar remove wax from the carpet?
What you need
- Iron
- Paper towels
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- A vacuum
Procedure
- Use the iron to melt the hardened wax. Place a damp towel over the wax and press the iron over it for 10 seconds. The wax melts, and the towel absorbs it.
- Remove the towel from under the iron every time you lift the iron. Next, lift the towel as if you are pulling it off from the carpet. Replace it and reapply the pressure on the fresh towel. Repeat the process until the towel absorbs all the wax. If your wax is colored, you will notice a small stain on your carpet.
- Apply a small amount of baking soda to the stain and let it sit for about one minute.
- Pour a little vinegar over the baking soda to neutralize the stain. The amount of vinegar to use will depend on the size of the stain. For better results, apply the vinegar until all the baking soda dissolves.
- Blot excess liquid with a towel and do not rub the spot. Just dab it.
- Finally, vacuum over the spot.
How do you get candle wax out of a carpet without heat?
How to get wax out of a carpet with ice
If you do not have a hairdryer or iron, you can try using ice to remove hardened wax stuck on the carpet.
What you need
- Butter knife
- Ice cubes
- Plastic bag
- Vacuum cleaner
- Two pieces of cloth
- Carpet cleaning detergent or rubbing alcohol
Procedure
- Fill the plastic bag with ice cubes and place it over the hardened wax. Ensure the plastic bag is not pierced.
- Press the bag gently over the stain. The stain will harden from the cold, and the bag will prevent it from getting wet.
- When the wax is dry, scrape it off with the butter knife carefully to prevent damaging your carpet. Scrape off as much wax as you can.
- Vacuum loose wax particles with the vacuum cleaner.
- If there is a stain left, dab it with a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol. Then, use another cloth to blot the excess liquid from the carpet and let it air dry. You can also use a carpet cleaning detergent instead of rubbing alcohol.
Can I use a hairdryer on a carpet?
It is possible to use a hairdryer on your carpet, but only if the wet area is small. Using it on an entire wet rug, for instance, is tedious and almost inefficient.
How to dry a carpet properly
A carpet is a cozy addition to any room. Besides value and beauty, rugs add comfort and warmth. However, for your carpet to last long, you should properly take care of it and always keep it dry. In addition, address spills and pees from your pets as soon as they happen if you care about your carpet’s longevity.
However, if your carpet is wet from outside water from a burst pipe, for instance, you need to call a professional to help you out. This is mainly because flood water is unsanitary and full of bacteria and other unsafe elements.
Depending on how wet your carpet is, the drying method will vary from time to time. For example, if your carpet is small, you can remove it and hang it outside to air dry. But if the weather is unfavorable, you can use drying equipment.
If it’s large, you may require a specialized drying tool.
What you need
- Towels
- Air movers
- A shop vac
- Heater
- Dehumidifier
Procedure
Small carpet
- Use the shop vac to remove excess water from the carpet. Use different attachments from the biggest to the smallest and choose the one that works best. Push the vacuum attachment down to ensure it entirely removes the water from your carpet. Also, ensure you have a sponge-type filter. It is not advisable to use a paper filter, as it may clog the vacuum when it disintegrates.
- Also, it would be best if you did not use the regular vacuum as it is not designed for liquids. If you have trouble extracting the water from your carpet, you can seek help from a professional cleaner.
- Use towels to remove the rest of the water. Take one towel and press it hard against your carpet. You can jump, step, or walk over the towel to push out water from the carpet pad for more impact. When the towel is wet, replace it with another dry one. Repeat this step until your towel does not get damp when you press it over the carpet.
- Air circulation is essential in the carpet drying process. You can use an air mover or a fan to increase air circulation. You can also apply heat to warm the air because warm air holds more moisture than cold air. A hairdryer can come in handy. You can also use a heater and be careful not to start a fire. Place the heater about three feet from the fabric or carpet to ensure ample airflow. For a dehumidifier, set it up in a way that ensures the dry air coming out blows across the wet carpet.
Medium carpet
- Follow the steps in the small carpet drying process.
- Expose the carpet pads as they absorb plenty of water and do not fully dry until exposed. Take one corner of the carpet closest to the wet area, hold the carpet fibers with your thumb to peel it. The tearing sound is okay because it comes from the tack strip that joins the pad and carpet together.
- Use more towels and your shop vac to extract as much water from the pad as you can.
- Use air movers and heat like in the small carpet procedure.
- If the wet area is too large to handle alone, seek professional help.
Large carpets
For extensive wet areas, a shop vac can only do so much. You will require special equipment to extract the water and dry the carpet. At this point, it is advisable to contact restoration experts and carpet cleaners. They use infrared cameras or moisture meters to ensure your wall or floor is completely dry. Drying inhibits the growth of mold when you reinstall your carpet.
Candle safe handling tips
When burning candles, you need to take precautions for safe handling and to prevent accidental fires. Here are a few tips.
- Do not burn a candle close to flammable material, like curtains.
- Use a glass plate to hold your candles, burning or not. Wax sweats and may leave color stains on furniture.
- Do not move a blown-out or lit candle. Heat makes a stain settle, and the hot wax will leave a permanent color stain on your surfaces.
- Use candles with soy wicks instead of lead because they emit less smoke, causing fewer toxins into the air.
- Scented candles may cause breathing and lung issues and allergies in the long run. Therefore, it is advisable to burn unscented candles and place cinnamon sticks in bud vases in the room to add a sweet scent. Alternatively, you can simmer cinnamon sticks, cloves, or other herbs in a pot.
Check this too: How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles
Conclusion
Before trying any method, it is advisable to do a spot test with a hidden part of your carpet. Also, some stains will be impossible to remove depending on their size, age, and nature. For best results, try removing the wax as soon as possible, but first, ensure it hardens. It is easier to remove when it hardens.
With all the methods discussed, you will know what to do the next time you encounter wax stains on your carpet.