How to Get Candle Wax out of Carpet

When you discover that the candles from your romantic evening have dripped all over your carpet, you need to know how to get candle wax out of carpet. It really isn't that difficult a process; it's actually quick and easy, if you know how. The following steps will help to rid your carpet of candle wax without leaving a nasty stain or other permanent damage.

Step 1 - Scraping Wax

The first thing you want to do, is to remove as much of the wax as possible. The important thing is to scrape off wax, while not accidentally rubbing it deeper into the fiber. If you use a butter knife or spoon, this will help; again, make certain to work slowly and gently.

Step 2 - Ice the Wax

Get some ice cubes and place them on the wax; letting the ice set until the wax chills and gets very hard. Once the wax is chilled, remove as much of the wax, as possible, with the knife.

Step 3 - Removing the Wax

Turn the iron to the lowest setting possible, and let it warm up. Now you will need a brown paper bag, preferably; if you don't have a brown paper bag, you can use newspaper, just be careful not to transfer ink. Place the paper bag onto the candle wax, and gently rub the iron on top of the paper bag. You can also use a hair dryer, if an iron isn't available; but, an iron is much more effective. As the wax warms up it will be absorbed into the fibers of the paper bag. Most candles are make of paraffin, which, when in a liquid state, is mineral oil. The wax will return to a liquid state and be absorbed. Depending on the amount of wax, you may need a new paper bag and repeat until all is gone.

Step 4 - Apply Rubbing Alcohol

If, after all that effort, you still have some wax in your carpet; rubbing alcohol is a great help. Start by wetting a plain paper towel or a cloth, both need to be white and without any colored patterns; as you don't want to transfer any color to the carpet. Using rubbing alcohol will actually aid in removing dyes from the wax as well. Now apply the rubbing alcohol to the wet cloth and wipe on the spot. Repeat the process, using a clean towel; until there is no more wax to be removed.

Step 5 - Rinse and Dry

Now that the area is wax free, it needs to be cleaned. Using a wet cloth or sponge, rinse the carpet well. Once the carpet is clean, you need to get the carpet dry, as soon as possible. You can use a hair dryer or fan, to aid in the process.