how to remove wax from carpet

Few things are as relaxing as dining by candlelight.

Fortunately, the remnants of a relaxing night - melted candle wax on your carpet or furniture - can be removed pretty easily, too.

These tips for getting wax out of carpet and upholstery can help get rid of the remnants of candlelight dinners past yourself.

Be patient here. These tips can and do work - but a gentle hand and perseverance are the key to success.

To Remove Wax From Carpet, You'll Need:

• ice cubes;

• a plastic bag;

• a spatula or spoon;

• an iron;

• a few brown paper bags;

• dry cleaning fluid;

• hand dish-washing liquid.

  1  Place Ice Cubes in the Plastic Bag

Put the ice cubes in the plastic bag and close tightly to seal. Place the bag of ice on top of the wax drippings on the carpet. Keep it there until the wax hardens to the touch.

  2   Gently Scrape Away Frozen Wax

Gently scrape off the excess wax with a spatula or spoon. It should crack and pop off easily now.

  3  Place A Brown Paper Bag Over the Wax Stain

Set the iron on low heat. Place a brown paper bag without any writing or designs on it over the wax stain. (Ink on bags could transfer to the carpet.) Press the iron on the bag for no more than a couple of seconds. Be sure to keep the iron heat on low so carpet fibers don't get scorched.

  4  Check Your Progress

Look under the bag to confirm that the process is working. You should find a candle-colored smear of success on the bag, which shows that the candle drippings are being lifted from the carpet.

Repeat and replace the bags as necessary until the wax no longer transfers to the paper when heated.

  5  Blot the Spot with Dry Cleaning Fluid

Blot the spot with dry cleaning fluiduntil color is no longer being removed. (Use cleaning solvents like these sparingly to prevent damage to carpet backing.

  6  Remove the Dry Cleaning Fluid from the Carpet

Now blot the treated area with a cleaning solution of one-quarter teaspoon dishwashing liquid and one cup of warm water to remove all traces of cleaning fluid. Rinse and blot dry. 

Finally,, blot rinse the area to remove any remaining dishwashing liquid carpet cleaner from the carpet fibers. Blot dry. 

Next time, buy dripless candles.

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