How To Remove Candle Wax From Carpet

We all love the aroma from our decorative candles. Unfortunately, the hot, melted wax from them can really make a mess on clothing and upholstered furniture. And if you accidentally knock a candle onto your carpeted floor ... ughh! But there is a procedure that's easy and will either totally remove the wax or, at least, greatly improve the situation. Simply follow these east steps:

1. Use a butter knife to scrape off as much of the wax as possible. This is just a preliminary step so don't overdo it to the point where you're damaging the cloth or carpeting!
2. Freeze the remaining wax with an ice cube. Then you should be able to scrape off some more with the butter knife.
3. Pre-heat an iron to the low or delicate setting.
4. Lay 2 or 3 paper towels (depending on their thickness) over the remaining wax.
5. Apply the iron gently to the paper towels. The wax will melt and will "wick" up into the paper towels. When this happens, move to a fresh area. Don't try to remove too much wax with the same area of the paper towels.
6. All of the wax should now be removed but the fibres of the cloth or carpet may still be stained. Clean those stains as you would any other type. Use a spot cleaner and scrub the stain.

Some additional tips:

1. If the carpet is shag or just relatively plush, you may have to brush the weave to various angles to "get to" all of the wax.
2. While an iron works best, a hair dryer can also work. Just lay the paper towels on the wax and heat them with the hair blower on a medium heat setting.
3. Some people swear that paper bags (like those from a grocery store) absorb the wax better than paper towels. Newspaper is also said to work better than paper towels. Just be sure to use all white or mostly white paper! We don't want to add more stains from the ink in the newspaper!
4. Be patient! It may take considerable time for the wax to melt and wick up into the paper. Don't be tempted to raise the heat setting on the iron or you may end out with a burnt carpet or sofa!

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