BCCBcarpetcleaning (@BCCBBirmingham )

Sparkle Professional Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Services on

From https://twitter.com/BCCBBirmingham/status/920608796019511296

How To Remove Candle Wax From Carpets.

How To Remove Candle Wax From Carpets.

Removing candle wax from carpets generally is a proper pain. If you are not careful, you can make a right mess.

I have been a carpet cleaner for twenty years and have been amazed at the damage people have done, trying to get wax off fibres. In many cases people attempt to remove the wax without really knowing what to do. In many cases, this just leads to permanent damage.

At best they leave some wax in (which is often unsightly when it’s a bright color) or at worst, set fire to their carpet (yes, this HAS happened!).

In my carpet cleaning career, I’ve come across a number of ruined carpets. In recent times, I have come to expect this in many rented houses (especially, student accommodation)! I bet everyone has seen an “iron” shaped burn on a carpet at some time or other

Professional carpet cleaners have developed ways of dealing with wax without damaging the carpets. The key is preparation and a “gently, gently” approach. The first and overriding concern is not to damage the carpet. With practise and the right technique (and equipment) this can be completed fairly quickly.

I cannot be with you to supervise so if you have any doubts, don’t proceed.

Here’s what you need

1/ An iron with adjustable temperature
control.

2/ Aluminium baking foil.

3/ A roll of white paper kitchen roll.

4/ Some water.

5/ A wooden spatula (or a very blunt knife).

A drop sheet (to protect the carpet) and something heat proof (to stand the iron on)

Follow these steps below and you should be able to remove most (if not all) wax deposits on carpets.

1/ Make sure you practise on an old piece of carpet first. In this way you can run the risk of damage on a piece that does not matter (rather than the real thing).

This concept of practising on an off cut is really important as it allows you to set the iron’s temperature control to the optimum level (starting off cool, then gradually turning up the heat) If you are trying to remove wax from synthetic fibres like nylon or olefin (polypropylene) you have to be super careful. These can melt at relatively low temperatures. If you melt the fibres, you have had it. There is no “back button” here. Once they are damaged, they are damaged.

2/ Melt some wax and drip it on to the test piece Allow to harden

Remove as much excess wax as you can. Use a blunt wedge or spatula.

3/ Wrap a piece of aluminium foil around the bottom of your iron.

This stops wax getting on to the iron, which could burn or be transferred back onto the carpet (or onto the next item of clothing to be ironed!)

Here’s the main secret

4/ Fold about five sheets of paper towel together (one square – five squares thick) and wet them. Wrap them in another couple so the whole package is wet but not dripping.

Why do we do this? Here’s why.

This paper towel, once wet has a double function. Firstly, it helps to cool the carpet beyond where the wax is.

Secondly it concentrates the heat of the iron on to the piece of carpet where the wax is.

As the middle bit dries out it absorbs the wax. Overall, the iron is in contact with the carpet for a far shorter time. The towel has to be positioned directly over the wax. Make sure the wax is smack in the middle

5/ With the iron set at it’s LOWEST heat setting, rest it on top of the paper towels for EIGHT seconds only (count out loud).
Remove it

6/ Check the paper towel The center of the towel should be a bit dryer than the outside. It should also be warmer

Do steps 5 & 6 again. If you cannot see or feel the difference, increase the heat (just a little).

Repeat 5/ again until the wax starts to move

As you get the temperature right you will notice that the towel gets dry quite quickly and that more and more wax is absorbed. You may have to re wet the towel to complete the job. If there is a lot of wax on the paper towels, then change then and start again Repeat 5/.

Caution is the keynote here. By going slowly, bit by bit, it is much easier to avoid trouble Practising on an off cut is by far the best way to go. If you mess up, who cares? It is better to damage an off cut than destroy the real thing.

The key is gentle repetition. Little by little, layer by layer After a while you’ll get just the right heat levels for optimum success.

It is so easy to try and do this quickly. You must resist this. Going too fast at this stage will probably result in a damaged carpet.

If you successfully remove the wax from the off cut, you are ready to move on to the real thing. Double check there is no adverse effect to the fibres first. With a bit of luck (and a “following wind”) you should be able to move the wax completely. Well done!

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started