Candlelight has so much that is good about it that few of us hesitate to use candles in our decorating schemes or for special events. Yet, most of us have had to also live with the repercussions of using candles; namely the problems created by spilled, melted wax. Of course, for many, the situation is made worse when it is colored wax that begins to transfer its hues and pigments into the fibers of the carpet. While we are going to walk you through the best ways to get colored wax out of carpet, we have an initial caveat. That is that any fine rug, such as a costly artisan or antique rug, is going to far much better if cleaned by experts. Whether they pay an onsite visit or take the rug to clean in a workshop, they are less likely to harm fibers and get colored wax out of carpet effectively.
A Basic Method
Of course, there are many who use the following approach in order to get colored wax out of carpet and suffer no upsetting consequences.
- The very first step is to actually take action the moment you see the wax. The longer it remains, the tougher it becomes to remove
- Take a Ziploc bag and fill it with ice
- Place the bag right on top of the wax, and allow it to remain for a few minutes
- Remove the bag and use a dull knife, such as a butter knife, to scrape up the wax (NOTE: It will not usually come way in one piece, and you’ll want to avoid heavily scraping the fibers)
- Use a piece of clean muslin or a piece of clean brown paper (such as an unprinted brown grocery bag), and place it over the area of the carpet where the wax has spilled
- Use your iron set to warm (not hot) and gently press the iron over the cloth or paper. You will immediately notice that it is lifting wax into the material and out of the carpet.
- You can repeat step #6 several times, using fresh cloth or paper with each effort), to try to get out as much of the waxy residue as possible
- If there is staining from colored wax, you may try an at-home cleaning solution (these are commonly found in stores), or you can contact a professional to do the stain removal
Be Careful About Common Wisdom
Can’t you just scrape it without the fuss? You will hear a lot of experts say that a dull table knife and some ice can often do the trick. Some even advise using some rubbing alcohol to get colored wax out of carpet. We cannot recommend either approach as both risk harm to the fibers of the carpet.
Ask the Experts
The very best way to get colored wax out of carpet is to call an expert. They have the techniques, knowledge and tools needed to remove the wax, any stains and keep your rug in great condition.
Durability also means resistance to soiling, and you will want to find a rug that can be treated or easily cleaned without losing its strength, color or character.
Though you may want to start out by choosing the print or style, use these other factors first as they can steer you towards the best options.
