Home Crochet baby clothesRemove wax stains from clothing - 5 effective tips

Remove wax stains from clothing - 5 effective tips

  • Instructions: Remove wax
    • Scrape off wax
    • Iron
  • Other methods of wax removal
    • Variant A: The hair dryer
    • Variant B: hot water and soda
    • Variant C: vegetable oil or carpet cleaner
    • Variant D: cold and heat
  • General information

Since actually a wax stain on your best garment dared ">

Of course no one wants to forgo the benefits of candles. Its atmospheric light illuminates not only the gloomy Advent season, but also ensures a warm atmosphere on balmy summer evenings on the balcony or the terrace. But a careless moment is enough - and already dripping the candle wax on the jeans, the shirt, the blouse or other clothing or textile piece. What seems to be very annoying at first, turns out to be half as bad on closer inspection, because: As a rule, wax can be completely removed from the fabrics - and our detailed instructions will help you!

Before we explain what you can do, we would like to briefly state what you should avoid: Do not rub the liquid wax! In the first moment of fright, it often happens that you want to work on the stain with a cloth. In this way, you do not improve the whole thing - on the contrary: The stain is simply rubbed wide and transferred to other areas of the garment. You just want to absorb the wax, but instead work deeper into the tissue instead. It goes without saying that afterwards it is more difficult to get the wax out of the garment. So: do not rub!

Instructions: Remove wax

Scrape off wax

Step 1: Let the wax harden first. Regardless of how you proceed in the sequel, you will always achieve better results if you remove the coarse waxy dry in a hard, hard condition. You can either wait for the wax to harden itself or help a little to speed up the process:

a) Cool the stained area of ​​the garment with ice cubes.

b) Place the garment in the freezer for about 45 to 60 minutes.

2nd step: The wax is hard "> Iron

Step 3: After the previous steps probably remains a dark grease stain on your garment back. Of course, this must be eradicated. A simple but successful trick is the use of an iron. With the household appliance, you can melt the remaining wax and suck out with the help of towels virtually from the clothing. But one after the other:

a) Insert your iron and set it to the lowest level.

b) Place paper towels over and under the wax stain. If you are dealing with a fleece or woolen garment, you should use blotting paper sheets instead of ordinary paper towels. Otherwise, small pieces of paper could get stuck in the fabric.

c) Press the warm iron on the paper. Thus, the wax melts and is transferred from the garment on the paper towel or blotting paper.

Tips:

  • Depending on how much wax is left on the clothes, you may need to change the paper at regular intervals.
  • Dispense with the steam setting of your iron. It would only hinder the process and possibly cause damage.
  • Use care not to burn your garment. Especially with delicate, delicate materials such as silk, synthetic fibers or blended fabrics, great care must be taken. Apropos: These fabrics are best covered with a towel when ironing to prevent heat damage. The towel absorbs the wax just as the paper towels or blotter blades do.
  • Instead of an iron, you can also use a flat iron.

Step 4: For complete stain removal, apply a pre-washing agent (benzine) or a stain remover suitable for the garment to the contaminated areas. Apply the product to an absorbent cloth and first check for color fastness in an inconspicuous area. If it passes the test, dab off the wax stain, turning the cloth over and over again. Then carry the clothes into the washing machine and wash the fabric as hot as possible.

Hints:

  • Before using a pre-wash or stain remover, take another look at the care information found on the label inside the garment. There you will also see the maximum number of degrees allowed for the product. Do not wash it hotter than prescribed, but also not cooler.
  • If it is a white piece, you should use bleach. Otherwise, the use of a decolorizer for coloreds is recommended. Following these instructions is especially important if the wax has blemished white or otherwise light laundry.
  • You should either wash your own delicate pieces by hand or hand them over for professional cleaning.
  • Only put the washed garment in the dryer if you are absolutely sure that the stain is completely removed. Otherwise, the heat could fix the stain.

Other methods of wax removal

Variant A: The hair dryer

They do not have an iron but have a hair dryer ">

Step 1: Place the garment between several layers of paper towels.

Step 2: Activate the hair dryer and hold it over the area with the stain for about five seconds. Meanwhile, dab off the wax with the paper towels.

Step 3: Finally, help with some stain remover and wash the garment as usual in the machine or by hand.

Note: This method is optimal if you fear your garment could not handle the heat of the iron.

Variant B: hot water and soda

You have no iron or hair dryer available ">

Caution: Do not leave the garment in the boiling water for more than the specified minute. Otherwise, you risk being discolored or otherwise damaged. And: For fleece and other sensitive fabrics you should NOT use this variant.

Variant C: vegetable oil or carpet cleaner

For small wax stains you can also use vegetable oil or carpet cleaner to remove the contamination. How it works:

Step 1: Put a dollop of vegetable oil or carpet cleaner on the stain.

Step 2: Then brush out the wax with an old toothbrush.

Step 3: Put the garment into the washing machine or wash it by hand.

Tips: Use paper towels again to wipe off excess wax. Do not use harsher solvents such as gasoline or paint thinner. However, in addition to the vegetable oil, you can add a touch of cleansing alcohol to the stain.

Variant D: cold and heat

Like the combination described in our main guide, our last suggestion consists of a cold and a hot element. That's how it's done:

Step 1: Place the garment in the freezer for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, or spray the wax with warts icing spray. With the latter variant you save some time.

Step 2: Remove the wax which has become brittle by the cold with a blunt knife, spoon or similar object.

Step 3: Clamp the still waxy garment over a large bowl. For fixing you can use rubber bands.

Step 4: Pour boiling water over the wax stain.

Step 5: Place the garment in the washing machine.

General information

Finally, a few general notes:

  • All these methods can also be used to remove wax from other textiles, such as tablecloths.
  • Only textiles that inevitably require chemical cleaning should NOT be treated with the described variants.
  • Use caution when cooking with boiling water. It is best to wear rubber gloves to avoid burns.
  • Colored wax often proves to be a great annoyance, as it leaves despite all treatments sometimes ugly shadows. In such cases, it is advisable to bring the textile into the cleaning. Almost all garments that have already been believed lost can be completely rid of the wax there!
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