How to Remove Candle Wax from Carpet and Upholstery

It’s important to remove candle wax stains in carpet or upholstery as soon as possible as the longer you allow such stains to remain in fibers or fabric the more difficult it becomes to eliminate them.

Freeze the Area

If the candle wax stain is new, remove the candle wax by hardening it with an ice cube. Follow up by scraping the carpet or material gently with a blunt object such as a spatula to remove the residual wax. Use a vacuum to clean up the area.

Pretest the Area

If you’re using a commercial product such as a dry cleaning solvent to remove embedded candle wax, you’ll need to pretest an inconspicuous area of the carpet or fabric for colorfastness. Simply apply a small amount of the solvent for approximately 30 seconds. If there is no transfer of color, the product should be safe to use. You can also substitute dry cleaning solvent with isopropyl rubbing alcohol if you wish. When using commercial cleaning products, don’t saturate the candle wax stain. Doing so can permanently set the stain in the carpet or fabric.

Iron out the Stain

If the stain is set into the fibers of the carpet or the fabric of the upholstery, place a paper towel or white absorbent cloth over the candle wax stain. On top of the towel or cloth, place a heated iron to transfer the wax onto the material. Make sure you don’t hold the iron over the towel or cloth for too long of duration so as not to burn it.

Blot out the Stain – Don’t Rub and Scrub

Once a part of the stain has been removed by using the iron, blot out the remainder of the stain with a mixture of 1 teaspoon mild detergent and lukewarm water. Blot from the outside toward the center. Do not rub or scrub the stain as you can cause the stain to become more impacted into the fibers of the carpet or the fabric. Use a small amount of dry cleaning solvent or isopropyl rubbing alcohol to neutralize the stain. Again, blot the stain. Don’t rub or scrub. If the stain still remains, re-apply mild detergent and blot the area. Apply paper towels over the area and let dry.

Difficult Staining

If you’ve followed the above steps and the candle wax stain still remains, dampen a white cloth with hydrogen peroxide and blot the area with the solution. Allow the treatment to stand for approximately an hour. Blot with the hydrogen peroxide solution until the stain is eradicated. There is no need to rinse the treatment from the area as light will naturally convert the peroxide into water. Apply paper towels to the area and let dry.

In order to remove candle wax stains from carpeting or upholstery, you typically only need to use an ice cube to freeze the wax and scrape up the residue if the stain is caught early. However, in cases where candle wax stains have set and have become fixed into the fabric or fibers, then the above information should serve you well in removing the offending stains from your rugs, carpets and upholstered furniture.