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Candle Wax Stain

To remove candle wax from washable fabric, follow these steps: Scrape excess wax from fabric with a dull knife. Then, place the fabric face down on white paper toweling and use a warm iron on the back of the fabric to melt the wax into the absorbent toweling. In some cases it may be necessary to sponge the area with a drycleaning solvent such as Energine.

Rinse stained area with water. If it was impossible to remove all traces of the stain, rub a small amount of detergent into the stain. Launder garment following instructions on the care label. Hot water may be more effective in removing wax stains than warm or cold water. If the stain remains and bleach is safe to use on the fabric, rewash the garment following the laundry instructions on the bleach container.

Before attempting to remove a stain, test the suggested stain removal product on a seam allowance, inside pocket or other inconspicuous area. If you do not have the time or the stain removal products on hand, or are concerned about damaging the garment, ask your local drycleaner to remove the stain. In some cases, stains are impossible to remove either by home methods or by a drycleaner.

If you have more questions, please contact your county office of the NDSU Extension Service.

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