Romantic candlelight or a sweet work of art made by the kids: wax and wax crayons can bring us lots of joy. But life is full of surprises and sometimes accidents happen. Don’t let wax stains on your beautiful tablecloth or sleeve spoil your evening.
There are several types of wax that can leave stains on textiles. Whether it’s from a candle or crayon, it usually isn’t the wax itself that needs the greatest attention when cleaning, but the grease stain that’s left over. Colored wax stains are even tougher to remove so you should plan for several washes – or even a trip to the dry-cleaners. Some wax stains can only be removed with very special solvents.
Here are the guidelines for removing wax stains from clothes, tablecloths, and other textiles without an iron. Simply follow the steps below to remove the stubborn stains.
The wax must be properly hardened and removed before washing the garment. You can place an ice cube on the wax stain to make it set more quickly. If the garment isn’t too large, you can throw it in the freezer after dinner. You can then scrape off the wax with a spoon or blunt knife, or simply break up the frozen wax with your fingers.
To make it as difficult as possible for the stain to take refuge in the fibers, you should pre-treat it before washing. You can also spray a stain remover over the stain and the area around it – until the fabric is properly soaked through. Always follow the instructions and test the clothing’s color fastness first on an inconspicuous spot.
After pre-treatment, continue with these next steps before the stain remover has time to dry out.
First, review the washing instructions printed on the care label of the stained item. It is best to wash the textile at the highest possible temperature – at least 120 to 140°F (50 to 60°C). Select a detergent that’s specifically for tough stains, such as Persil® Advanced Clean Oxi+Odor Power laundry detergent , and use the amount indicated on the package for “heavily soiled” laundry.
Done! In the best-case scenario, the wax stain will have disappeared, but if the stain is particularly stubborn (colored wax is often harder to remove), repeat the process.
Pro tip: If the wax stain has not completely disappeared, the garment shouldn’t be put in the dryer, otherwise the stain will really set in. Repeat the wax stain removal steps above while your garment is still wet from the wash.
Harden the wax with ice, then remove surface wax with a credit card or dull knife. Place crayon stain between clean paper towels and press with a warm iron on the lowest setting. Replace paper towels regularly to absorb more wax and prevent transferring of stain. Once most of the wax is absorbed into the towel, sponge remaining stain with Persil® liquid laundry detergent, then blot with paper towel. Let dry, then wash with detergent in warmest water allowed by laundry care label. If color remains, re-launder with color safe bleach.
Wax stains can be really stubborn. If the stain refuses to budge even after several wash cycles, it’s time to admit defeat and take it to the dry-cleaners. Your tablecloth will be as good as new for the next dinner party.
Clothes with wax stains should never be placed in the dryer because then the wax will melt and further penetrate and travel in the fabric, making it stick even more. Once the mishap has happened, scrape off as much wax as possible. Then carefully remove the wax and follow pretreating directions as described above.
Once the wax is removed, follow steps two and three and wash the sweater in the washing machine to remove any remaining grease and color from the fibers.
Stains happen, but the way you deal with them doesn’t have to be a constant struggle. For more laundry tips that help keep you looking and feeling good, explore our library of fabric care guides, and check out these related articles below: