How to Get Wax Out of Clothes (Practical Guide)

Who doesn’t love candles? Their flickering flame creates a magical and relaxed atmosphere and brings cozy and classy vibes to any situation. You can quickly bring the romance of a date night to a whole new level. But what happens when you need to remove wax spills? Knowing how to get wax out of clothes is always helpful. Of course, getting wax out of clothes can be tricky, so stay with us to learn the best tips. Let’s begin.

How to Get Wax Out of Clothes

It takes only one minor slip-up for candles or your favorite waxing kit to create a mess. You’ll need suitable tools to get wax out of clothes efficiently. But the most important thing you should do is check the clothing label to make sure that the cleanup method you are considering is appropriate for the material. Also, don’t touch the wax if it’s still not fully hardened. You can wait for it to dry naturally, or you can put ice cubes in a bag on the wax to accelerate the process. Now let’s take a look at the removal methods.

How to Get Candle Wax Out of Clothes Quickly by Scraping

What you’ll need for this method:

• an object with a hard edge

There are several reliable methods for removing wax from fabric. We’ll describe the most efficient one for starters: try to remove the wax in an old-fashioned way by scraping. Once the wax hardens, gently break off the solid piece and get rid of it. Now you’ll only have to remove the leftovers. Next, take a hard edge tool, such as a spoon or a butter knife from a high-quality knife set. 

If you use a knife, make sure it’s sharp enough to remove the wax but not so sharp to damage the fabric. Also, when handling a knife, make sure that you’re protected and scrape away from you, so you don’t hurt yourself by accident. Finally, start scraping gently but firmly and avoid pressing the knife too hard, especially if you are cleaning a delicate fabric. If this method doesn’t work, try some of the other recommendations below.

How to Get Wax Out of Fabric With an Iron

What you’ll need for this method:

• an iron
• paper towels
• stain remover
• laundry detergent

There’s a chance you won’t be able to thoroughly remove a wax stain by scraping. To remove any leftovers, put several layers of paper towel over the stain. Select the low setting on the iron because you may end up with scorch marks on your clothes if it’s too hot. Place paper towels over the area before going over them with the iron. The wax should soften and transfer onto the towels.

You should proceed to put some pressure on the paper towels after the wax is hardened to absorb it. Keep repeating the process until the stain is entirely removed. In case there’s some oil left on the fabric, you can clean it with a stain remover. Moisten the stain, leave it for a couple of minutes, and launder the clothing with a laundry detergent as usual.

How to Get Wax Out of Clothes With a Hair Dryer

What you’ll need for this method:

• hair dryer
• paper towels
• stain remover

Here’s another helpful tip if you’re wondering how to get wax out of clothes without an iron. You can apply the method mentioned above, only instead of using an iron, you can do it with a hair dryer. You can try this technique when treating fabrics that are too delicate or trying to save a luxury comforter set. The process is the same as it is with an iron. The only difference is, you don’t have to put paper towels over the stain while heating it with the hair dryer. 

Once the wax re-melts, apply pressure to the paper towels to let the wax transfer onto them. You can repeat the process until you’ve entirely removed all leftovers. We often get asked how to get Scentsy wax out of clothes. Well, this method should get that job done as well.

How to Get Wax off Fabric With Rubbing Alcohol

What you’ll need for this method:

• ½ cup rubbing alcohol
• 1 cup of water
• spray bottle
• sponge

If you’re interested in learning how to remove wax from clothing without an iron, here’s an alternative. Grab a spray bottle. Mix rubbing alcohol and water. Next, spray the stain and rub it with the sponge from the outside of the affected area toward the center. Dry the sponge and blot the spot to get rid of any moisture. Repeat the process as many times as needed.

How to Get Red Candle Wax Out of Clothes and Fabrics With Boiling Water

What you’ll need for this method:

• boiling water
• large bowl

Are you a true romantic at heart who loves red candles? If romance is what you’re after, but you’ve stained your tablecloth after having a lovely dinner at home, we can teach you how to remove candle wax from fabric. Just grab the tablecloth and put it in the freezer. Once the wax becomes breakable, take the tablecloth out of the freezer and snap the wax off. Can you wash wax out of clothes if there are still leftovers? Of course. Just spread the affected spot over a bowl. You can additionally secure it with rubber bands. 

Next, boil water and pour it over the wax so it can melt. After you’re done, wash the tablecloth in a washing machine. If there’s still a paint stain, saturate the affected spot of the tablecloth with a mixture of half detergent and half warm water. Or, as an alternative, you can use a laundry prewash stain remover instead of this mixture. Leave it to soak for a while, and rewash it. 

How to Get Wax Stains Out of Clothes Using Vegetable Oil

What you’ll need for this method:

• vegetable oil
• paper towels

If you’re looking for another approach to getting candle wax out of clothes, here it is: use vegetable oil. First, moisten the affected area with vegetable oil and rub it using paper towels. Once you’re done, pat the stain with more paper towels to wipe off any excess oil. Finally, launder as usual. However, bear in mind that this method is more suitable for minor wax stains.

How to Get a Wax Stain Out of Clothes With a Carpet Cleaner

What you’ll need for this method:

• carpet cleaner
• a small brush or toothbrush
• paper towels

If you’ve learned to remove wax from clothing using vegetable oil, then you’re already familiar with this method since it’s similar. Once you’ve broken down and scraped the wax, cautiously pour carpet cleaner on the stained area. Next, grab a toothbrush or a small brush and start scrubbing. If there are leftovers, blot them using paper towels. After you’re finished, wash the item as usual.

How to Get Candle Wax Out of Clothes With Baking Soda

What you’ll need for this method:

• baking soda
• large kettle
• water

You can remove wax from fabric with another standard product: baking soda. It’s good for cleaning in general and seems to be just as effective in removing wax stains. For starters, boil water in a large kettle. Next, add about five teaspoons of baking soda. Dip the clothing into it using a stick and wait one minute for the wax to soften and fall off. 

Repeat dipping the clothing several times but be careful: if you keep it in the water longer than necessary, you may damage the fabric and remove the dye. However, don’t try to get candle wax out of clothes using this method if you’re treating a delicate fabric.

How to Get Crayon Wax Out of Clothes

What you’ll need for this method:

• laundry prewash stain remover
• bleach (for white clothes only)
• color bleach (for colored clothes)

All children, even toddlers, love to draw and color! The only downside in these situations? Ending up with crayon wax on clothing. If you’ve already tried the ironing method and it didn’t work, don’t worry — we may have a solution. Try applying laundry prewash stain remover on the stain. Let it soak for a while, and wash the clothing in hot water. 

If you’re removing wax from whites, you can use bleach. For colored or light-colored clothes, use color bleach. In any case, be extremely careful when dealing with bleach of any kind because you may damage the clothing and remove its dye. Finally, wash the clothes in a washing machine. If you’re treating delicate fabric, it’s better to hand-wash the item.

How to Get Candle Wax Out of Jeans

What you’ll need for this method:

• blunt knife (or another object with a hard edge)
• ice cubes
• hair dryer
• paper towels

This approach is a combination of other methods we’ve mentioned above. First, put an ice cube on the stain and rub the wax. Take a blunt knife or another suitable object with a hard edge and start scrubbing gently. If you didn’t thoroughly remove the wax, put the jeans in the freezer. Once the wax becomes breakable, scrape it off. If there are leftovers, apply the hair dryer approach and blot the affected area with paper towels afterward. That should do the trick.

Finishing Thoughts

No matter how careful we are, accidents happen. That’s why learning how to get wax out of clothes will probably be useful to you. We hope the removal methods we outlined in this article are helpful. So don’t worry about getting candle wax on clothes; they’ll be as good as new. Enjoy your moments in the candlelight!