As we all know, candle wax will always burn! And if you happen to drop your favorite shirt while it is burning, you’ll want to get the stuck melted wax out as soon as possible.
Luckily, there are some easy ways to do this. Let us go through them here!
Removing candle wax from clothes doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, many people have done it before so you can definitely look into those tips and tricks. But before that, let’s talk about why candle wax sticks to clothing in the first place.
The reason candle wax sticks to cloth is because both contain lots of air. When the flame melts the wax, water is also formed along with the oxygen in the air. The oxygen then reacts with the leftover carbon molecules in the wax, forming compounds such as ketones or carboxylic acids. These chemical groups stick to the surface of the cloth, making it more likely for the wax to re-solidify.
If you read my article about how to remove burnt hair from clothes, you learned that burnt hairs also contain small amounts of protein which help glue the burnt hair onto the fabric. This could make removing the burnt hair even harder, but does not necessarily mean that you cannot eventually wash and launder the item again.
Removal methods
There are several different ways to easily remove candle wax off of cloth.
Put it in the freezer for a few minutes
For those people who have burnt their arm trying to get all the melted candle wax off their t-shirt, there is another way! Immediately after you put the shirt into water, drop it onto some cold solid surface like the floor or the fridge wall.
This will cause the warmer water to congeal around the dried up wax, making it easier to scrape away. Just make sure that you do not pull the fabric down as this could hurt the thread slightly.
Put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes
After you wash your t-shirt, let it air dry. If the shirt is not able to be dried completely in this fashion, put it in a hot place (like a heater or oven) until it can be hung up properly.
When the wax has melted down a bit, take your iron with warm water and roll each sleeve across the steam. Pull slightly hard to push out any remaining drops of wax. Once it’s all gone, refrigerate the t-shirt until the cold solidifies the rest.
Try using rubbing alcohol
For people who are having trouble removing candle wax from their t-shirts, trying using rubbing alcohol as a cleaner is one of the best solutions. Alcohol is a very common cleaning agent that does not require any special precautions for use.
Most alcohols start to evaporate when exposed to air, which means they will eventually dissipate unless something contains them. Using an adequate amount of alcohol can help remove most types of wax.
Making sure your skin is well washed before applying the alcohol helps prevent dry patches and uncomfortable rashes. You may also need to wash off the remaining makeup before applying the alcohol to avoid possible reactions or irritation.
Alcohol will sometimes cause some bubbling and puffing of the fabric, so be aware of this and pull up any straps or buttons to make sure they go back onto the shirt properly. This could potentially spread the grease more, however if done correctly it should only clean the item slightly.
Use candle wax remover
If you are able to get some of the melted wax off the shirt, then try using a candle wax removal tool or solution. These can be done just by adding the product into water and rubbing it onto the dried up piece of wax.
Some people like to use paper towels to soak up any excess liquid before applying the cleaning agent on the fabric. This is not necessary unless the towel becomes wet from the wash.
Many people add one bottle of each ingredient for better results.
Use lemon juice
For someone with sensitive skin, having a wash process that uses chemicals or alcohol can be too much for your body to handle. If you find yourself in this situation, then try using something non-chemical such as lemons!
Lemons are an incredible natural healer so if you soak your t-shirt in some fresh squeezed lemon juice, the candle wax will naturally dissolve. Make sure to agitate the shirt gently so as not to break down the fibers too much!
Once you have dried the lemon off the t-shirt, repeat the washing process with regular detergent and water.
Use vinegar
There are several ways to get rid of candle wax that has left a trail down your shirt. The best way is by using acid!
You can use white distilled vinegar (the kind you drink) or regular vinegar to remove the melted wax. Either one works, but make sure you don’t mix them as only one will work.
Once it does sit for a few minutes and then wash the affected area with water. If there is still some residue, apply more of the acid until it disappears.
This method really works! I have used it before and it has always worked so try this out if you ever need to.
Use hair gel
One of our favorite ways to get candle wax out of a t-shirt is using your own hair gel! If you have leftover gel from doing your nails, making your hairs look beautiful, or curling them, then your gaurantee is that some people will comment on how great your hairstyle is.
By mixing one part gel with two parts warm water, you can apply it to the saturated shirt and roll it in. The alcohol in the gel will help melt the rest of the melted wax off, leaving your new tight-fit t-shirt dry and clean!
This works well for removing all types of wax, not just pillar candles.
Use soap
For many people, their favorite t-shirts are in constant use. If you’re one of these people then it can become expensive to have your clothes replaced due to wax buildup. Luckily, there are some easy ways to get rid of this candle wax!
You can either use alcohol or plain old water to wash your shirt. Either way, make sure that you launder it next to dry! This will help remove most of the melted wax.
If possible, try rolling up the sleeves or folding them down so that you don’t need to pull out the entire sleeve. Just be careful not to tug too hard as you may break the material.
Some people say that using rubbing alcohol is more effective than washing with water alone.