At PartyLite we're proud of our quality candles made to make scents easy to enjoy at home, but we can’t predict or prevent an accidental spillage. Wax spills can naturally happen with busy lives and families at home. But did you know how to get candle wax out of carpets?
Keep reading for our tried and tested tips for removing wax, so you can enjoy your favourite fragrance in any room with no stress. But first, let’s learn about preventing wax from getting on your carpets.
How to prevent wax from getting on your carpet
It all starts with the right accessories. We don’t just design our candle holders to look good, they’re practical too. All our holders are designed to be used with our various candle forms and melts, ensuring that candles have room to melt and more stability.
Minimise spills in a crowded hallway or busy area by choosing taller décor that’s out of reach of smaller members of the family. It also means that if the table or surface your candle rests on gets knocked, it’s less likely to mean disaster. Our smaller and more delicate pieces are perfect on bathroom window sills or sturdy shelves where they’re less of a hazard to swinging elbows and wagging tails.
Sometimes, you can’t help the spill. So what if it’s already on the carpet? It’s a much easier fix than you’d think.
Freeze the wax
If you get to the wax quickly, this technique always works best.
Start by trying ice. Place a bag of ice over the spill (lightly, so it isn’t worked into the carpet further) and let it set.
Take a butter knife or spoon (any dull instrument will do) and try to gently lift away, or scrape the wax.
Vacuum the pieces up to remove the wax from the carpet, being careful not to press them down into the carpet.
Heat the wax
Still find there’s some left? It’s time to do the opposite and try some heat.
To start, dampen a dishcloth or old towel and place it over the spilled wax.
Next, take a hot iron and run it over the cloth vigorously for 10 seconds, allowing the wax to melt into the towel. Be careful to only concentrate the iron on the affected spot, and only for a short time, in case you spread the wax into new fibres.
Once melted, you should be able to remove the cloth in one go and find no wax left over. If not, lay down a clean part of the towel and repeat until the remaining wax has lifted.
Cleaning products
If there are still remnants of wax colour in your carpet, it’s time to use cleaning products.
First, check the care instructions for your particular type of carpet. Some fibres need special care, such as wool, and some can take the hardier chemicals like rubbing alcohol to remove candle wax.
Use as directed, and don’t forget to fluff the carpet fibres back up to hide the spot.
If you’re seeing fuzzy spots caused by the cling of the wax, lay some scissors down flat and trim flush to the other, unaffected fibres.
Now you’ve fixed the damage, prevent it from happening again. Why not try some of our fragrance products without wax for those busy rooms where there’s often plenty of hustle and bustle? Check out our SmartScents Sticks, SmartBlends and AromaPure Car Fresheners. They’ll let you enjoy our same fabulous fragrances in every room, even when your home is filled to the brim with busy lives.
For more tips on cleaning candle wax from surfaces, read more about removing wax from glass here. Check out our latest collection here, and read more from PartyLite here.