A 4-Step Guide to Cleaning Wax Off Your Carpet
Charnell from Clean Corp says keeping all the nooks and crannies in your house clean is no picnic—whether that’s figuring out how to tile clean grout or getting down to business and cleaning those blinds.
While those chores might be challenging, they’ve got nothing on herculean efforts you need to employ to keep carpet pristine in the presence of pets, children, and yes, even you.
That could mean focusing on how to remove coffee stains from carpet or removing nail polish from your carpet after an at-home spa day.
These are not exactly low-maintenance tasks. Heck, there are times when a spill seems so overwhelming that you just want to rip out your current carpeting and figure out exactly just how much it will cost to install new carpet, that’s why looking up deep cleaning services near me could save you the hassle of replacing your carpet.
That brings us to the perils presented by dinner parties. What sets the tone better than candlelight? It adds the perfect ambience, but there are times when some of that mood lighting can drip right onto the carpet in the form of melted wax along with its toxic components.
Getting spilled candle wax out of your carpet may seem tough, but lucky for you, we’ve got you covered. This super-simple four-step process will help you get candle wax out of your carpet using items you already have around the house. Read on for the list of materials you’ll need for this project and a few insider tricks on how to make your carpet look like new. After all, there’s no use crying over spilled wax.
Wax in, Wax Out
When it comes to removing wax from carpet, Charnell says ‘there’s really no better way to address this than what’s already been proven effective.’ She recommends having the following on-hand to make sure you’re covered:
● Bag of ice or ice pack
● Butter knife
● Iron or hair dryer
● Paper towel, brown paper bag, or terry cloth towel
● Carpet cleaner or rubbing alcohol
● Vacuum
Below are some very helpful and practical steps in dealing with carpet problems.
Step 1: Freeze the wax
First things first: It’s important to remove candle wax from your carpet as soon as you notice it. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to clean the wax stain. Start by placing a plastic bag of ice or an ice pack on top of the spot. Allow the wax to freeze for about 10 minutes, making sure that the wax isn’t getting wet from your ice pack. Moisture will only make the stain tougher to remove.
Step 2: Scrape off the wax
Once the wax is frozen, use a butter knife to scrape as much of the wax as you can off of the carpet. Don’t be too rough with the carpet, as you don’t want to cut the threads. The more gentle yet precise you are in dealing with it the better. Next, vacuum up the pieces you scraped off and then continue on to step 3.
Step 3: Heat and absorb the wax
Place a paper towel, brown paper bag, or white terry cloth towel on top of the remaining wax stain. Heat up your iron to the lowest setting, turn off the steam function, and run a clean iron over the towel to heat the wax. Make sure to keep the iron constantly in motion and avoid the temptation to turn up the heat level—you don’t want to accidentally burn the paper or your carpet! Once you start to see the towel absorbing the wax, reposition it over the wax stain so that a clean area can absorb more wax. Repeat this step until all of the wax is gone.
If you want to avoid running an iron over your carpet, a hair dryer can also be used to heat the wax. Simply blow hot air onto the wax stain until it’s warm, then firmly press a paper towel, brown paper bag, or white terry cloth towel onto the stain to absorb the wax.
Step 4: Clean the carpet
Last but not least, go over the stained area with a carpet cleaning solution. For pesky colored candle wax, wet a white terry cloth towel with a small amount of rubbing alcohol and gently dab the stain until the color is removed. Be careful not to rub the solution into the carpet as this could hurt the fragile fibers. Once your carpet has dried, run a vacuum over the area to return the natural texture to your carpet. And voilà! You’re ready to host your next dinner party.
Bonus Life-Saving Tip
Last but not least, and probably one of those things that catches most DIY carpet cleaning is the carpet – moisture contact.
Charnell notes that carpets aren’t supposed to get wet, so you know that you’ve got a problem on your hands when water makes contact with your carpet, especially when you’re cleaning unattended by the professionals.
Whether you’re dealing with ruptured pipes, storm flooding in the basement or simply trying to clean them, that fiber and padding need attention right away. Why?
Because time isn’t on your side.
Since wet carpets cause mold to grow in as little as 24 to 48 hours, you need an action plan.
Here’s an outline that can prevent a problem before it even begins:
1. Spread towels over wet areas, and apply pressure. As they pick up moisture, replace
them with new dry towels, and repeat the process removing as much water as possible.
2. Sprinkle baking soda over damp spots, leave it in place overnight, and then vacuum.
This helps absorb any residual moisture and also controls odors.
3. Lightly spray the area with white vinegar to combat mold growth. Scrub vigorously
with a stiff brush, and then blow dry the treated carpet.
4. Follow up with an antifungal spray specifically formulated for carpets. Don’t confuse
these products with cleaners meant for bathrooms and kitchens.
5. Ventilate the area for several days by running the AC and setting up fans in the
room to circulate fresh air. Vacuum one last time to remove any trace of products and moisture.
With these tips may you have cleaner carpets and healthier families.
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