How to Remove Candle Wax Stains from Clothes

Spilled candle wax on your favorite sweater or pair of jeans can be annoying and even damaging if you don’t remove it properly. Thankfully, getting wax out of fabrics is pretty straightforward with some patience and household items.

What You’ll Need

• Iron and ironing board
• Paper towels or clean rags
• Butter knife or dull blade
• Laundry detergent
• Dish soap
• Vinegar
• Rubbing alcohol
• Baking soda

Step 1: Let the Wax Cool and Harden

If the wax spill is still warm and gooey, let it completely cool and harden first. Trying to scrape off soft wax can push it further into the fabric. Once hardened, it will chip off much easier. Lay the waxy item of clothing on a flat surface and allow the wax to fully set.

Step 2: Scrape Off Surface Wax

Once hardened, use a butter knife or other dull blade to gently lift and scrape off as much of the wax as possible from the fabric surface. Try to avoid pushing the wax further into the weave as you scrape. Work slowly and carefully. The more wax you can chip off at this stage, the less you’ll have to deal with in later steps. Discard the wax shards as you remove them.

Step 3: Iron Between Paper Towels

Place several layers of paper towels or a clean rag over the remaining wax stain. Using a warm iron (no steam), slowly iron over the paper towels. The heat will transfer through the towels to melt the residual wax, pulling it up and into the absorbent paper. Check the towels/rag as you iron and replace if they become fully saturated. Most of the remaining wax should transfer to the paper this way. Avoid ironing directly on the fabric itself during this step.

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After surface wax removal and ironing, check the clothing item. If no more wax seems embedded in the fabric, you can stop here and simply launder as usual to remove any remaining wax oil residues. But if wax remains stuck in the fibers, move on to try some solvent cleaning methods.

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Step 4: Dish Soap and Vinegar

For cotton, linen or other washable fabrics, make a cleaning solution of 1-2 tbsp dish soap per 1 cup warm vinegar. Using a sponge or rag dampened with this mixture, gently dab and scrub the wax stained area to dissolve any remaining bits from the fibers. Avoid vigorously rubbing the fabric. Rinse well with clean water afterward.

Step 5: Rubbing Alcohol

For delicate fabrics like wool, silk, or synthetics, instead use a treatment of 1 part rubbing alcohol diluted in 2 parts water applied with a cloth. Gently dab and work into any lingering wax spots. This helps dissolve pesky wax without risking damage to more fragile clothing materials. Make sure to rinse thoroughly after cleaning.

Step 6: Laundry Detergent Soak

For sturdy fabrics, soak the clothing item for several hours in warm water mixed with a generous amount of laundry detergent. The detergent will help lift staining from the embedded wax. Then launder as you normally would for that garment type. Allow to air dry if possible.

Step 7: Baking Soda Paste (If Needed)

For really stubborn wax that resists other methods, make a thick paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Using an old toothbrush, work the paste thoroughly into the wax stained area, let sit 1-2 hours, then rinse clean. The graininess combined with a gentle abrasive scrubbing motion can help further release trapped wax from fabric.

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With some perseverance using these techniques, you should be able to remove virtually all traces of dried candle wax from your clothing. Avoid dry cleaning items until wax is eliminated, as the solvents can permanently set the stains by bonding wax into fibers. With some elbow grease, household products, and heat, you can get waxed garments fresh and clean again.

References

• Good Housekeeping, “How to Remove Candle Wax from Fabric”
• Martha Stewart, “How to Remove Candle Wax from Fabric”
• Real Simple, “How to Get Candle Wax Out of Clothes and Other Materials”