Lighting candles is a great way to add ambience to your dinner table when you’ve got company.
However, as the candles burn, over time the candle wax can melt and drip onto your wooden table, becoming stuck and a pain to remove.
In this article, I will provide you with step-by-step guides on several methods to remove candle wax from wood.
So, let’s get started.
How To Remove Candle Wax From Wood
Reheat The Candle Wax And Wipe
Step One – Allow Your Clothes Iron
To begin, you will need to grab your clothes iron and allow it to heat up on the lowest heat setting.
Step Two – Cover The Candle Wax Spill With Paper Towels
Next, you will need to cover the candle wax with a minimum of three layers of good quality paper towels.
The paper towels are going to be what absorbs the wax as it is reheated.
Step Three – Place A Cloth Over The Paper Towels
Once you’ve placed the paper towels over the candle wax spill, you will need to add a clean, lint-free cloth that is iron safe over the layer of paper towels.
Step Four – Press The Iron Onto The Candle Wax Stain
Following this, you will need to press the warm iron on the candle wax stain for 3 to 5 seconds.
Step Five – Pull The Cloth Back To Observe Your Progress
When this time has elapsed, it’s important to pull the cloth back to see whether the wax has been absorbed by the paper towels.
It’s important to be patient, as this process could take a few tries.
Step Six – Repeat The Process
You will need to repeat this process several times until the wax has been removed. Make sure that you reposition the paper towel each time so that there is a clean section covering the wax spill each time.
Depending on how bad the wax spill is, you may need to replace the paper towels after a few heat applications and get fresh ones.
Step Seven
Once the wax has been removed from the wooden surface, it’s time to polish up. Use a lint-free cloth to wipe the treated area. Grab your polish, and buff the affected area for the best results.
With A Hairdryer
Step One – Set Your Hairdryer To Low
To begin, set your hairdryer to low and hold it at least three inches away from the spilled wax.
Step Two – Soften The Candle Wax With The Hairdryer
Next, you will need to soften the wax with the hairdryer by pointing it at the affected area.
Step Three – Peel Off The Candle Wax
When the wax is warm enough, peel off the wax with your hands and wipe away any excess with a lint-free cloth.
Step Four – Repeat The Process Until All Of The Candle Wax Is Removed
There may still be wax leftover after you’ve done this once, so you will need to repeat the process until all of the wax has been removed.
Step Five – Clean The Area
Use a clean, lint-free cloth to clean the wooden surface. To finish off, apply your favorite furniture polish and buff away until you can no longer see any candle wax residue.
Method 2 – Allow The Wax To Settle And Scrape
Step One – Allow The Candle Wax To Dry
To start, you will first need to allow the wax to cool and dry completely on the wooden surface before you attempt to clean it.
Failure to wait will result in you spreading the wet wax over a larger surface area, and you could even burn yourself if it’s freshly spilled wax.
Step Two – Scrape The Candle Wax
Next, you will need to grab a credit card or spoon to remove the wax. Begin to gently scrape at the area, being careful not to scratch or damage the wooden surface below the wax.
If there are any cracks of deep crevices in your wooden surface, use the pointed tip of the credit card to dislodge the dried wax.
Collect the wax in a piece of paper as you go to ensure the clean up process is easier. It may take several rounds of scraping depending on how bad the spill is, but persevere and have patience!
Step Three – Buff The Area Clean
Once all of the wax has been removed from the wood and you’ve cleaned up any remaining wax fragments, you will need to use a clean, lint-free cloth to buff the area.
Buff in a circular motion to remove any wax residue that is left over on the wooden surface.
Step Four – Use Furniture Polish
Lastly, you should use furniture polish to polish the treated area, and your wooden surface will look good as new!
Method 3 – Freeze And Scrape The Candle Wax Away
Step One – Add Ice Cubes To A Zip Lock Bag
To begin, you will need to add several ice cubes to a zip lock bag.
Step Two – Place The Ice Cubes Over The Candle Wax Spill
Once you’ve added the ice to the ziplock bag, place the bag over the affected area for a few minutes. This will help to freeze the spilled wax.
Step Three – Scrape The Candle Wax Away
Next, you will need to use a credit card or spoon to gently remove the cold wax from your wooden surface.
When the wax is frozen, it tends to break off in one clump. However, it might leave small amounts of wax residue that you need to scrape away.
Step Four – Clean The Affected Area
Last, but by no means least, you will need to clean the area with a lint-free cloth. Grab your furniture polish, buff the area, and your wooden surface should be back to normal.
In Summary
So, there you have it! Hopefully after reading this article you have a better idea of how to remove candle wax from wood with a variety of different methods. You might also want to have a read about how to remove minor scratches with sanding which could help you out.
Good luck and happy cleaning!