There’s nothing better than having a romantic dinner while being surrounded by a bunch of scented candles. But it’s all fun and games until one candle topples and drips on your favorite clothes.
I’m here to tell you how to get wax out of clothes without leaving any permanent stains. You only need an iron, an old towel, and a pack of makeup blotting sheets. Let’s see!
Step 1: Let the Wax Dry
I know what you’re probably thinking. As any stain dries, it settles deeper into the fabric, making it almost impossible to remove it later. While this is correct for stains of food or ink, it’s completely wrong with wax.
When given enough time, the wax will harden and rise to the surface, allowing you to scrape it off mechanically before using chemical detergents.
To speed up this process, you can rub an ice cube over the stain, or just shove the whole garment into the freezer!
Step 2: Scrape It Off
Use a small teaspoon to scrape off the outermost layer of the wax. Don’t dive too deep, or else you may tear the fabric, especially if you’re handling delicate silk, lace, cashmere, velvet, etc.
Some people like to use a knife, but I don’t think that would be a smart idea since you can easily hurt yourself if you’re too frustrated about ruining your favorite, expensive garment.
Step 3: Use an Iron
Alright, now that you’ve removed most of the superficial wax, you’ll have to deal with the wax that had already crept inside the fabric.
Get a pack of makeup blotting paper, and place one sheet below the stain, and another one above. Then, lay an old towel on top, and drive a hot iron over the stained section.
The heat will melt and expand the wax, forcing it to rise to the surface. And since the blotting sheets have a high affinity for oil, they’ll quickly absorb the wax.
Paper towels would also work, but they don’t have the same high affinity. If you’re dealing with fluffy fabrics like wool, you’ll need that high affinity to attract the wax away from the tiny strands.
Step 4: Wash Your Garment as You’d Normally Do
If all the wax is gone but you can still see an oily mark, sprinkle a few drops of any stain remover before washing your garment.
Now take a look at your garment’s care label to know the ideal washing method. If the garment is tough enough, wash it with hot water and fast spin to remove all the sticky residue. With delicates, however, these settings might tear the fabric apart, so stick to the lightest alternative.
When it comes to drying, I don’t recommend using a tumble dryer. When the fabric is still wet, it’ll be hard to spot any remaining stains. If you use a dryer, it’ll fix these stains permanently. Just let the garment air dry and rewash it if needed.
Final Thoughts
If you don’t have an iron, you can substitute it with a hairdryer. Drive it on the hottest setting, and wave it in front of the stain for about 10 seconds, then quickly blot the area with a blotting sheet.
And be careful on your next dinner!
