How to remove wax from candles from clothes: a collection of “hot” and “cold” tips

The problem of stains on things is solved quite simply with the help of modern detergents. But if these are wax blots, then do not try to immediately wash them off with your hands or in the washing machine - nothing will work. Paraffin does not dissolve in water, detergents also do not take it. Also keep in mind that wax literally eats into the fabric from two sides and solidifies firmly between the fibers.

For the production of candles using wax (beekeeping product), paraffin (oil product) and stearin, which is obtained from animal and vegetable fats. The properties of these components are similar, so you can use the same cleaning methods. An exception is colored candles, which contain dyes. To wash the candle from the fabric, you have to do a double job: remove traces of both paraffin and dye.

Remove wax coating

There are two home methods for removing wax stains. Which one to choose will tell you the type of material from which the affected thing is made. If in doubt, read the label on the clothes. On the tag, the manufacturer must indicate the composition of the fabric and the features of caring for it.

• "Hot" removal. Applicable for natural materials: cotton, linen, calico.
• "Cold" removal. Designed for fabrics that cannot be exposed to high temperatures. For example, for wool. And also for leather products, jeans and corduroy.

Stroking Method: 5 steps

The hot method involves heating the wax to melt it and separate it from the fabric. This is done with an iron. During heat treatment, it is important to remember that the appliance must be heated to an average of 80 ° C, turning off the steam supply function. In order for the procedure to be successful and fast, you need to perform the following five steps.

1. Brush off the wax. Before removing paraffin from clothes with an iron, try to remove as much paraffin as possible. To do this, use a wooden spatula, the back of the knife, scissors, a nail file or a school ruler. Be careful not to damage your clothes.
2. Prepare your inventory. Get everything you need: an iron, a piece of plain cloth, napkins, paper towels, or sheets of clean paper.
3. Preheat the iron. Set the maximum temperature for a particular type of fabric.
4. Lay the napkins on top and bottom. Put the spoiled clothes on napkins with a spot up. And on top of the stain also cover with a paper napkin, on top of which lay a cotton cloth. Iron. As wax adheres to the paper, it needs to be changed.
5. Wash. Wipe the rest of the wax stain after ironing in the usual way. Most likely, you need a stain remover.

Synthetic things do not like a hot iron, they can be processed in the same way, but at a low temperature. If you are afraid of damaging synthetic clothing, replace the iron with a hairdryer and follow the same principle.

Freezing method

The cold wax control method is applicable to dense materials such as fur, leather or denim. To remove the stain, you need to cool the place where the wax dripped.

To do this, put the clothes in the compartment of the freezer or attach an ice pack to the drops of paraffin, and in winter just take the thing out in the cold. After such an operation, the wax can be removed with any flat object.

We clean the remaining spots

It is much more difficult than removing convex drops of solidified paraffin, washing spots after wax. After the manipulations with the iron and the freezer have been done, a greasy mark may still remain on the clothes. For each material, we choose our own method of "dry cleaning".

With suede

Things from this beautiful material look very impressive. But you need to take care of suede, as the most delicate fabric. The following methods will get rid of unpleasant stains on suede products.

• Par. The clothes should be held above the steam, and then the wax should be cleaned with a special suede brush or blotted with a sponge, but do not rub the dirt into the fabric.
• Ammonia. It will help to wipe the stain after solidified wax from clothing ammonia, which has a dissolving characteristics. Dilution ratio: half a teaspoon per liter of water. Wet the cloth or sponge and gently wipe until the stain disappears.
• Turpentine. To remove drops of wax from clothes, you need to moisten a cotton pad in turpentine and apply it to a paraffin stain for a maximum of 20 minutes. Next, wash in warm water and rinse well.
• Mixture with gasoline. You can make a solution yourself by combining 50 g of purified gasoline, 10 g of ethyl alcohol and 35 g of ammonia. An impregnated cotton pad must be applied to the damaged area for just a few minutes.

With skin

Wax is not absorbed into the skin, so it’s easier to remove paraffin from leather clothes than from other fabrics. If a candle dripped onto your leather bag, jacket or gloves, immediately use the freeze method. After that, bend the fabric in the contaminated place in half so that the paraffin flow will crack.

All you have to do is wipe off the frozen wax, clean off its remnants and wipe the shiny paraffin trace with a cotton pad.

With jeans

Jeans are practical in daily wear. Due to the strength of the fibers, the fabric lends itself well to care. For example, drops of wax ruined your denim pants. Solve the problem is not difficult. There are two ways.

1. Wash with freezing. Put the jeans in the bag and put the camera in the freezer for two hours. Scrape off the stain from a cold thing, brush off the remnants of the wax and send the product to the wash. Everything.
2. Soaking wash. Pre-soaking will effectively remove wax traces from jeans. Soak the pants in hot water (50-60 ° C) and powder for about half an hour. Then wash intensively: it is better to use the machine.

With silk and wool

Clothing made from delicate materials requires the same approach. In other words, for a woolen or silk dress, exclusively gentle methods for removing stains from a candle are suitable. The most common way - the use of liquid balm for washing dishes. It is enough to apply a few drops on the stain and leave to dry completely (you can at night).

After processing, dishwashing gel does not need to be washed off specifically. Immediately put the clothes in the washing machine with the appropriate mode for silk or wool, or wash the item yourself.

How to remove wax from clothes after depilation

Basically, wax gets on clothes during some special events. But there is a risk of getting a paraffin spot during cosmetic procedures related to its use. Therefore, there is a separate recipe for how to remove wax from tissue after depilation. If the cleaning is carried out in fresh ways, the procedure can be dealt with in five minutes:

• treat the stain with a few drops of warm vegetable oil;
• leave the oil on the fabric for two to three minutes to soak;
• Detergent for dishes.

If you decide to clean the wax from the candle from the clothes yourself, do not forget about simple safety rules. With hot removal, paraffin can get on exposed skin and cause burns. And when working with chemical cleaners, there is a risk of allergic reactions. Even ordinary detergents do not have the best effect on the condition of the skin of the hands and nails. Use heavy protective gloves for any handling.