Candles, without a doubt, contribute a lot to a centerpiece, but they may also spill wax and make a mess on your tablecloth. Although your initial impulse may be to toss away the tablecloth, removing the wax is not as difficult as it appears. Are you new to these things? Worry not, we will teach you simple ways on how to remove candle wax from a tablecloth.
Steps on How To Remove Candle Wax From Tablecloth
Freezing the Wax
Freeze the wax that has spilled. The simplest method is to fold the tablecloth with the wax on the outside top layer and freeze the entire fabric. Alternatively, while the cloth is still on the table, fill a bag with ice and set the ice pack on top of the wax.
Scrape the frozen wax off the tablecloth with a dull tool. You can make use of a butter knife, or your fingernail. If the tablecloth is made of lace, take special care not to harm it when scraping the wax.
Heating the Wax
Heat is used to remove the wax. Place paper towels or brown paper bag pieces on both sides of the stained area. If you use a paper bag, be sure it doesn’t have any writing on it.
Heat or medium your iron and iron over the paper. When ironing, avoid using steam. The leftover wax will melt off the tablecloth and seep into the paper as a result of the iron’s heat.
If required, repeat the ironing procedure with fresh paper towels or brown paper bags. Continue changing the paper and ironing until all of the wax has been removed. Once the wax has been removed, wash the tablecloth as usual.
Dissolving the Wax
Because candle wax is an oil-based stain, you’ll need an oil-disposing solvent. There are a variety of solvents that may be used, but only a handful are likely to be found in your home. Acetone, used in nail polish remover, and isopropyl alcohol, used in rubbing alcohol, are the most common.
Check the item’s care label for cleaning instructions before beginning. Acetone should never be used on modacrylic, acetate, or triacetate since it will disintegrate the fabric. Place the stain-side-down item on a folded towel.
Dab nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol into the stain with a cotton swab. Watch the greasy, waxy stain melt away. Continue doing so until the stain is gone.
Blot up any remaining residue. Steam the stain to eliminate any residues of acetone from the cloth if you used nail polish remover. The item should then be washed as normal.
Washing the Tablecloth
If the wax is totally gone, simply wash the tablecloth as usual. However, a surface wax mark may remain, indicating that it should be treated before being washed. Because of the qualities of the wax, a standard laundry may not be adequate.
Therefore you will need to use a solvent to completely remove the candle wax from the tablecloth. This might be acetone or rubbing alcohol, so skip this step if you’re working with sensitive textiles. Do a patch test with a cotton bud soaked in solvent after checking the care instructions for any warnings.
If this works, use a solvent-soaked cotton pad to remove the stain. After that, wash the tablecloth by hand or on a soft cycle with regular detergent. Next, let us discuss removing candle wax depending on how big or small it is.
How To Remove Candle Wax From Tablecloth Depending on Size
Removing Small Candle Wax Stains
Small patches of solidified candle wax on the cloth can be removed with a big dollop of vegetable oil. Wipe any excess oil away with paper towels before washing as normal. Another method for removing tiny quantities of wax from a tablecloth is to place it in the freezer.
When the wax becomes brittle, remove the tablecloth and break the majority of it off. Spread the afflicted area over a wide bowl. Bind it with elastic bands to remove the remaining wax from the tablecloth.
Then pour hot water over the wax to melt it. The tablecloth should then be washed as normal. This is how you deal with very small candle wax stains on your tablecloth.
Removing Large Candle Wax Stains
Do you want to know how to remove candle wax from your clothes? To remove big candle wax stains from clothing, scrape the excess using a dull knife. Then sandwich the affected area between two paper towels or brown paper bags and iron on a low setting.
If the fabric is one that you would ordinarily iron at a low temperature. Take care not to burn it when removing the wax. In such a scenario, simply slide the iron back and forth slightly above the paper.
It doesn’t take much heat to melt and transfer the wax to the paper. Replace the paper towels or bags as they absorb the wax, then launder until the paper no longer absorbs the wax. Using a spot lifter, remove any leftover stains.
Additional Tips on How to Remove Candle Wax from Tablecloth
So, what if your fabric is light in color and there is still residue from the candle’s oil on it? Well, this scenario is likely because candle wax is an oil-based stain. Consider sprinkling sea salt on the discolored area.
Avoid using Kosher salt since it is extremely abrasive. It may end up ripping up the fibers of a tablecloth, especially if it is a delicate fabric. Use a finer grind, such as table salt, instead.
Conclusion on How to Remove Candle Wax from Tablecloth
You no longer need to worry about the candle stains on your tablecloth anymore. Just take note of these simple ways on how to remove candle wax from tablecloth. You can easily remove such stains and use your tablecloth as if nothing happened. To learn more tips on candle wax removal or anything related to candles, check out our site.