How To Get Out Candle Wax From Carpet + Remove Stain Easily

Knowing how to get out candle wax from carpet will certainly give you a huge sigh of relief once an accidental candle wax spill happens.

I love having candles as centerpieces on coffee tables because they make any room look lovely and feel cozy. A lot of beautifully crafted candles are also infused with pleasant scents.

However, accidents can always happen in common areas around the house where candles are usually placed. Before you know it, your cherished carpet is already covered with melted candle wax. Don’t worry! With a few simple steps, you can easily save your carpet.

Keep reading to learn how to get wax out of the carpet and remove any remaining wax stains.

Jump to:

• Act Quickly: Why You Must Remove Wax Out of Carpet ASAP
• How to Get Out Candle Wax From Carpet + Materials You’ll Need
• 1. Freeze the Wax to Clean Candle Spills
• 2. Scrape the Wax From the Carpet
• 3. Apply Heat to Get Candle Wax Residue
• 4. Clean the Carpet + Remove Candle Wax Stain
• Keep Candle Wax Out of Carpet: Tips to Prevent Future Wax Spills
• Know How to Get Out Candle Wax From Carpet and Keep the Beauty of Your Space

Act Quickly: Why You Must Remove Wax Out of Carpet ASAP

Carpet and candles are often found together in the same areas in the house. It feels nice to cover the floor with a fluffy fabric to cradle your feet, while scented candles can uplift your mood.

Keep in mind, though, that candles are made of paraffin and various types of wax. These substances are generally based on fats and oils that easily melt when heat is applied.

If candles fall while in their melted or liquid state, it won’t take long before wax spills into the carpet fibers. So it’s important to act quickly.

By removing candle wax as soon as it’s spilled, you’re preventing the melted wax from penetrating deeper into the carpet fibers. It will also be easier to remove and less likely to develop wax stains.

You’re also minimizing safety hazards by instantly getting up and putting the candle flame out before it reaches any upholstery or cloth fibers. This alone is enough reason you shouldn’t wait before dealing with an accidentally knocked-over candle on a carpet.

How to Get Out Candle Wax From Carpet + Materials You’ll Need

Once the candle flame is out and you’re left with the spilled wax on the carpet, the next thing to do is gather the supplies.

Luckily, the materials you need are very likely available in your home. Once you have them all ready, you can then focus on how to get out candle wax from carpet.

These are the cleaning materials you’ll need:

• Bag of ice — you need to freeze the wax
• Rounded-edge spoon or butter knife — use this to scrape off hardened wax
• Iron — to easily apply heat on wax residue
• Terry cloth towel, paper towel, or brown paper bag — to absorb the wax residue
• Carpet cleaner (store-bought or DIY cleaning solutions) — use it to remove any remaining wax stains
• Clean cloth or rag — to blot off any residual cleaning solution
• Vacuum — to remove all residue from melted wax or cleaning products

Done gathering the cleaning supplies? Great! Follow these simple steps below on how to get out candle wax from carpet.

1. Freeze the Wax to Clean Candle Spills

The first thing you need to do is lift as much wax as possible off your carpet’s surface. The easiest way to do it is by freezing the spilled wax.

Get an ice pack or a bag of any frozen food. Wrap it in a clean towel, then lay it on the carpet where the melted candle wax was spilled.

It shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to freeze the wax completely. Keep checking the bag of ice and ensure its moisture is not leaking into the carpet.

Moisture or any liquid flowing into the carpet might make it harder to remove the stain.

2. Scrape the Wax From the Carpet

Make sure that the wax is completely frozen before proceeding to this step to lift the hardened wax in larger chunks.

Gently scrape off the hardened wax using a spoon with round edges or a butter knife. Avoid using sharp utensils because they can damage your carpet.

Vacuum the affected area to remove the scraped-off bits of hard wax.

When done perfectly, you might not even have to do the next step, which involves reheating the spilled wax. However, if smaller bits of hard wax remain tough to scrape off the carpet, proceed to the next step.

3. Apply Heat to Get Candle Wax Residue

If tiny clumps of wax can’t be removed by gently scraping them off, you’ll need to melt them again to absorb and lift them from the carpet.

However, I still prefer to do this step even if few to no residual wax is visible on the surface. Some melted wax might have been absorbed deeper into the carpet fibers and is not easily visible to the naked eye.

So, to be completely sure that no residual wax remains, you can follow this process.

It’s so simple, anyway! Just follow these steps:

1. Place a paper towel, terry cloth towel, or paper bag to cover the residual candle wax.
2. Turn on your iron to the lowest heat setting — without steam — then wait for it to get hot.
3. Slowly run the iron over the covered wax stain.
4. Turn the towel or paper bag from time to time. Keep running it over with an iron until all residual wax is lifted.

Here are additional helpful tips:

• Have extra towels or paper bags ready within your reach.
• Keep checking if the towel or paper bag used as a cover is getting saturated with absorbed wax.
• Replace the towel or paper bag when it’s already saturated with wax to make sure you’re still lifting as much wax as possible from the carpet.
  

4. Clean the Carpet + Remove Candle Wax Stain

Candle wax, especially dyed wax, will likely leave some stains on the carpet. Don’t worry! Like other stains, you can use household cleaning materials to clean your carpet if you don’t let it sit for too long.

Spot-clean the stained area with a store-bought carpet cleaning solution. 

If you don’t have it in the house, you can make a DIY cleaning solution with readily available ingredients.

One great option is using baking soda and distilled white vinegar together. Here’s how:

1. Sprinkle enough baking soda to cover the remaining candle wax stain.
2. Spray the vinegar or dab with a paper towel onto the baking soda. The reaction these two cleaning agents create will allow the stains to be lifted off the carpet fibers.
3. Once the stains are removed, blot the area with a clean towel until all moisture from the cleaning solution is absorbed.
4. Vacuum the carpet to make sure no baking soda particles remain.

After removing the stains and cleaning the carpet, let it dry completely. Then, vacuum the whole carpet again to restore its original texture and appearance.

Keep Candle Wax Out of Carpet: Tips to Prevent Future Wax Spills

Don’t let one accidental wax spill stop you from adorning your home with lovely candles. After all, having scented candles is one of the easiest ways to keep your house smelling good. 

You can follow a few tips to prevent wax spills in the future.

• Use a candle tray. Trays provide a more stable surface for candles. And in case it’s still knocked over, the tray may be able to catch the wax spills.
• Check the room’s airflow. Make sure that your candle is far from drafts or wind sources that could knock it over.
• Keep candle wicks short. Trim the wick and keep it around 1/4 inch long so it won’t produce large flames that could lead to wax drips when you light the candle.
• Use candle holders or sleeves. This adds one layer of protection from melted wax spilling onto the carpet, by preventing drafts and wind from knocking over the candle.
• Teach the kids about candle safety. This is one of the most important precautionary measures, especially if you have little ones in the home. Tell them they can’t touch or play with candles, candle holders, and trays.
• Don’t leave lit candles unattended. Another important tip is to always keep lit candles within your sight. Aside from protecting your carpet, this is, more importantly, a safety measure.
  

FAQs

Know How to Get Out Candle Wax From Carpet and Keep the Beauty of Your Space

There are amazing advantages to having candles in the house. They can beautify any space, keep your house smelling nice, and even set the mood for at-home relaxation. 

With simple know-how in removing candle wax from the carpet, you don’t have to be afraid of using them as home decor pieces.