House Cleaning and Stain Removal Forum

[Martine]

Hi, does anybody know how to remove wax from unglazed stone tiles?

[mrscleannw]

Hi Martine,
Are you refering to candle wax, or floor wax (polish). I'm also curious if you have tried any products to remove it so far. And if so, what product(s) have you used.

Thanks,
Mrs Clean

[mrscleannw]

Hi Martine,
Well I guess I?ll answer both possible variations to this question.

Candle wax can be easily removed using candle wax remover. (Available in the grocery store) Some brands available come from Weimans, Un-Du, and Goo-Gone.

If you are referring to floor wax, I?d get some mild floor was remover from the grocery store, and following mfgrs instructions (and a mop to start) but the trick is to use a steam cleaner, with water extraction and rinse to completely remove the wax/water residue from the floor.

We are all aware that remnants of water with the floor wax can remain in the tiny cracks and pits on any type of floor, but an unglazed stone floor has too many!

Using a steam cleaner, (with just the regular extraction brush, not the one with a beater bar) will really help getting sucking up any wax that remains in the pits of the stone and not give it a chance to solidify

The only usual cautions remains- Take care not to scratch the stone- (you did not mention what type it was) and follow any product manufacturer?s recommendations completely.

[Martine]

Hi and apologies for not replying sooner. I've a newborn baby at home and thus finding time to check the site is not always easy!! Anyway, the wax is candle wax and I've tried using heat, but it doesn't work. I think the wax is too far sunk into the stone for it to come out. Thinners won't work as wax isn't soluble that way. So, I think the only way forward is just to wait and let time do its thing and for the wax stain to fade.

[mrscleannw]

Hi Martine,
well the good news is that something will work, you are right that the pits and cracks do make it difficult to remove completely. The product I mention below (undu candle wax remover) or another I found called Weiman wax away WILL dissolve candle wax.

I'd saturate the area with the solution, and cover with a white cotton paper towel for about 5-10 minutes. then use a toothbrush to gently scrub the wax away. Rinse thoroughly.

This is a really great product, works very well, and both are available is the grocery store for under $5.00.

[Martine]

Hi Mrs Clean,

thanks for the tip. However I'm not sure if I can find the product you mention in the UK or here in Germany. Would you happen to know if this exists in England as I will be going there next week and can try and find it.....

many thanks

Martine

[mrscleannw]

I'd be surprised if they did not have at least an equivalent product in Germany or England, after all, it is a universal problem.

If you can't find it locally you can probably find it available online such as ebay

[Martine]

I'll start looking, and thanks again!

[Courtney.Bice]

Do you know if Weiman Wax Away will work on carpets and rugs safely?
Does it actually liquefy the wax?

[One eyed Kiwi]

First heat your iron up to a hot temperature. Next get some greasproof paper and place over wax deposits. When the iron is up to temperature, place over paper and wax will absorb into paper.

[Courtney.Bice]

when you say grease proof paper..you mean like a paper bag..would that be the item of choice?

[mrscleannw]

Yes, that is a good point to clarify.

You are looking for an absorbent type of material to place over the wax, such as 2-3 folded paper towels or a brown paper garbage bag. You should remove as much of the solid wax manually prior to trying any method to remove the stain-

There are many different waxes used in candles (such as paraffin wax which is made from crude oil, bayberry, tallow, soy and bee's wax) and each type of wax has a different melting point.

The iron and paper works because the non greasy paper will absorb and wick away the heated and liquefied wax stain, make sure to move the absorbent material around as you apply heat to ensure the paper is absorbing all of the hot wax as it liquefies.

The hot iron method is a cheap, fast and easy way to remove some wax stains, it *can* remove candle wax very nicely and up to the highest standards. The "*" around the "can" in my previous sentence means do not run off and fire up your iron- keep reading and make sure to pay attention to all the qualifiers/points I've listed below.

When using heat to remove wax, use the lowest heat possible so as not to scorch either the stain or the carpet. (yes, you can burn the carpet with an iron)

Consider both the color and type of fiber the carpet is made of prior to trying to remove the stain.

Carefully consider if the wax contains additives, such as fragrance or coloring. This could be a nightmare because some dyes will not "wick up" very well into the paper- so though the wax is removed very nicely with heat the dye still remains in the rug fibers. You are left with a candle wax dye stain which has been heated. Yikes!!

Since it is impossible for me to list all the variables involved, common sense should guide you, always using the lowest heat possible, checking your progress frequently.

Some stains may be "set" by heat, which essentially means that the stain and/or remaining residue is now thoroughly embedded in the item you have been working on.

If the stain is from pure uncolored wax, and the carpet is dark colored, and it is not in a very conspicuous location, I might be tempted to try this. But do take a cautious approach, using the lowest heat possible first to see how it is working out for you.

Per the question above, weimans wax away says that it "safely cleans tablecloths, carpet, furniture & other fabrics". You can get it for about $5.00(USD), and a little goes a long way.

The wax-away works just as if it has liquefied the wax, but no heat is used. You dab it on the stain, and the wax dissolves and breaks apart in a way that the iron/heat method will never accomplish.

(btw, I do not mean to sound fanatical about these type of products, but I've tackled and lost the candle wax battle many times before. )

If your carpet/rug is light colored and/or the candle is colored, I'd just fork over the $5.00 and be done with it. It's not expensive and if you have ever washed or dried your clothing with a tube of chapstick that you forgot to take out of your pocket, you'll be ready to treat the chapstick stain using the wax away that you have handy in your cupboard-

Good luck and do let us know how it turns out.

Mrs. Clean

[Green&Clean]

Although slightly off topic from the thread header, it was brought up in reply's further along. My question is about the iron and paper method while removing wax from carpet. I have white carpet and a candle (off white - beige in color) I got all of the wax up, mostly by picking at it until a friend told me about the iron and paper towel method. However now there is a faint stain left in the carpet that is a little darker. Any way to get that residual stain out. I read about not using to high of heat. I think i might have goofed there. Should i continue to reapply the iron and paper towels, or is it time to get a product to assist?

Thank you for your response.
Non Toxic Cleaner

[mrscleannw]

Hi Green&Clean, welcome to our forum.

Hopefully you did not scorch the carpet. If that is the case you’ll need to call in a professional who can “patch” the area using the same carpet that is located in an inconspicuous place or if you can purchase a sample piece of carpet that is the same as yours.

If the stain that remains is not due to scorching, but wax and coloring residue, you can purchase Weimans Wax Away. The Weiman’s will dissolve any remaining wax; remember to test the Weiman’s in an inconspicuous place before starting. Follow the manufacturers instructions for this product.

Always blot when working on carpet. Never rub as the fibers will fray. Any minor discoloration left from the candle dye will very likely come up with hydrogen peroxide.



Mrs. Clean