Were you enjoying your relaxing scented candles before things got a little out of hand? Or did your happy birthday moment turn into waxy splatters? Well, who doesn’t spill things every now and then?
Don’t kill the mood worrying about your favorite comfy jeans or that nice pricey suit of yours. Accidents happen, and we’ve got the perfect solution for you.
But, before we deal with the situation, we have a golden rule for you: hold your horses! You don’t want to attempt to rub that stain off just yet.
We took a deep dive into all the pro tips (and some not-very-pro ones!), and we got you the most guaranteed tips and tricks on how to get candle wax off jeans and other fabrics, with no damage whatsoever.
Those techniques will save your clothes, your time, and money. No need to worry, no elbow grease is required.
How to Get Candle Wax off Jeans and Other Fabrics
Cleaning wax stains can get a little messy. And if you’ve ever tried to get candle wax off your jeans, you probably know that you might end up with a bigger mess. With these techniques, you won’t have to waste your money on cleaning bills.
How to Remove Wax With Ice
Applying ice to the wax stains will help get the wax to a more solid form. This will make it easier for you to scrape almost all of the wax flakes off your jeans.
Having said that, let’s get to business!
– Rub the wax-stained areas with an ice cube, or put the ice cubes on the stains for a couple of minutes until the wax is solid. Now, you should be able to snap the frozen wax flakes easily.
– For a larger amount of spillage, some wax will probably be absorbed into the fabric tissue, and it might be harder to get all the wax off by snapping it.
If this is the case, try using any knife-like object. You want that object to be a bit edgy but not too sharp that it would rip the fabric. A dull knife will do the job just fine.
– After scraping the wax, it’ll turn to powder. Use any rough brush (or just an old toothbrush) to brush it off, and keep scraping until all the wax comes off.
– If you’re out of ice, you can get the same effect by putting the jeans in your freezer for some time. Try scraping it according to the previous technique when the wax is frozen solid.
How to Remove Candle Wax Using Heat
If you don’t prefer the ice technique, using the heat technique will be just as effective.
– Plugin your iron and wait until it gets warm enough. You don’t need it to be too hot for this.
– Grab two pieces of paper towel, and put one of them above the stained areas and the other underneath the fabric. Then press it with the warm iron. You can use a paper bag for bigger stains to do the same job as the paper towel.
– When the stains are heated enough, the wax will turn into liquid form. You’ll notice that the paper towel sheets are soaking up the liquid wax.
– Repeat this step until all the wax stains are absorbed into the paper towels.
A Quick Tip:
Instead of changing the spot you’re pressing on, again and again, another method is to put a paper bag horizontally under the iron for a second. Then slowly pull it from one side while still pressing on it with the iron. The paper bag will keep soaking up the wax as you pull it.
Don’t Have an Iron Within Reach? No Problem. You Can Use Your Hair Dryer.
– Turn your hairdryer on the warm setting and point it towards the stained areas. After a couple of seconds, the wax will turn into liquid. Use a paper towel to soak up as much of the liquid wax as possible.
Try pouring some hot water on the stains if neither device is available. The hot water will melt the wax, and you can then do the same paper towel trick.
Some fabrics are more sensitive to heat than others, which means they can be easily burned if you’re not careful with the iron. So, before going with this heating method, you should check the care label to ensure that the stained fabric won’t be affected or damaged by heat.
However, for your pair of jeans and other clothes that you’d typically iron, even on low heat, it’s safe to use this technique.
Can You Use Vinegar to Remove Candle Wax?
The answer is: yes. Vinegar is yet another handy option, and if you’re wondering why, here’s the science behind it:
There are many types of candles out there, but most candles we use nowadays are made of paraffin wax, which means that they are oil-based. Oil-based wax products can be dissolved using solvents such as vinegar. That’s why it’s advised that you don’t use vinegar for cleaning waxed surfaces or furniture. But, in this specific case, vinegar can work some magic!
– Prepare a mixture of half water and half vinegar.
– Get a paper towel or some cotton swabs.
– Scrape off as much as you can of the hard wax, then put the paper towel or cotton swap in the mixture, and rub the remaining stains with it.
– keep rubbing the stains until all the wax has dissolved.
– You can also use some vegetable oil to rub the remaining stain and remove any residue wax.
In case you can’t find any vinegar, you can use other solvents to dissolve the wax, such as rubbing alcohol or acetone (nail polish remover). But, before going for one of these latter options, you have to check the care label on your clothes.
While acetone is safe to use on your jeans and other denim items, some fabrics can be damaged by such strong solvents. If the cleaning instructions aren’t clear about that, try looking up the kind of fabric you’re dealing with, or go for a safer option.
Now We Wash!
After applying any of the previous techniques, you can now wash your jeans in the washing machine to remove any color or scent. Turn your jeans inside out before you put them in the washing machine and add the laundry detergent of your choice.
If you’d rather hand wash jeans and denim, then it’s better that you soak them in some cold water for a while before hand washing them. After that, the wax stains should be removed completely.
Before putting your jeans into the dryer, check the stained areas once again. If you find any traces of wax, repeat the process until you’ve got it all off.
Final Thoughts
A good pair of jeans is probably the most comfortable, durable, and always-ready-to-go piece of clothing. That’s why it’s everyone’s favorite wardrobe choice. So, if you’ve reached this far, you’re now an expert on how to get candle wax off jeans and other fabrics.
And after knowing all about the easiest, most guaranteed wax removal techniques, you won’t have to put those scented candles away anymore!
I have two Associate’s degrees, one in Medical Assisting and the other in Computer Technician, and I am roughly five classes from a bachelor’s degree. Though I never ended up working in the medical field, I have five and a half years of experience in IT. I recently became a stay-at-home mom to my two young boys, and I’m so excited to start this adventure with them! In my spare time, I love to bake and read pretty much anything I can get my hands on.