Consider the following scenario: As your dinner party comes to an end and it is finally time to extinguish the candles, a stray piece of wax accidentally falls off the stick and onto the rug. Fortunately, when it comes to house cleaning in San Diego, removing wax is extremely comparable to—and frequently just as easy as—removing other typical carpet stains. Here are some helpful hints for preventing wax spills as well as information on how to clean candle wax from carpet.
Why Do Special Cleaning Instructions Apply to Wax?
Let’s begin with some encouraging news. Wax on your carpet frequently appears worse than it actually is at first glance. Wax sticks to carpet fibers, frequently clumping them and giving the carpet a discolored appearance.
However, if you work with the peculiar properties of the material, understanding how to remove hardened wax from a carpet is rather straightforward. But because using typical cleaning products doesn’t happen until much later in the process, removing wax from the deepest layers of your carpet necessitates unique deep cleaning methods. To get rid of each obstinate piece of residue, the technique will probably involve several steps of drying, scraping, and melting again.
How to Respond If You Find Wax on Carpet
Don’t freak out if you noticed some wax spilling into the rug from the candlestick holder. Have your cleaning lady blow out the candle and carefully move it out of the path.
On the carpeting, let the wax dry. Yes, it does seem illogical. However, if you fiddle with melting wax on your carpet, it can spread further or sink further into the fibers. In order to keep it in place, you can actually quicken the drying and cooling process. Pick up an ice pack, and then cover it with a cloth or plastic bag. To help the wax cool in place and make it easier to professionally clean your carpet, dab the area with ice.
How to Clean Carpets of Wax
Investigate the rug or carpet’s deep cleaning recommendations while you wait for the wax to dry. If you don’t have them, err on the side of caution by choosing gentle and low-heat cleaning methods.
Use a Butter Knife to Scrape It Off
Hand scraping is your best option for getting dried wax off of your carpet. It may be simple, but much as with food stains on your clothes, it’s preferable to remove as much of the solids from the rug as possible first.
Iron out the Remainder
If the main wax clump was removed, there probably remained a thin layer of transparent or colored wax embedded in the fibers. It’s time to reheat it if that’s the case. The most common method is to use an iron to remove the wax residue.
You may ask your cleaning services Los Angeles to put an old shirt or iron-safe rag over the stain and iron the affected area on a low to medium setting. Low heat is especially crucial to avoid damaging the synthetic fibers below.
Use Dish Soap To Rub
Use the conventional deep cleaning strategy if the residue is still left after scraping and melting. A white rag should have a few drops of clear dish soap added to it along with some warm water. Colored soap runs the risk of further discoloring a sensitive rug.
To prevent additional spreading of the stain, begin dabbing and very softly rubbing the stain from the edge toward the middle. The final traces of wax holding the particles together should be released by the soap.
Use Rubbing Alcohol To Eliminate
If you use rubbing alcohol sparingly, it shouldn’t have an impact on the color or quality of your rug. With a butter knife, scrape off the majority of the dried wax; then, using a white cloth dipped in isopropyl alcohol, lightly dab the area.
The wax dissolves in the alcohol, breaking up smaller fragments that adhere to the carpet fibers. Once the area is free of any alcohol, wash it with dish soap and water cleaner.
Vinegar and Water Spritz
Vinegar, the star of the all-natural home-cleaning show, might occasionally assist in removing wax from carpets. In a spray bottle, mix equal parts water and white or apple cider vinegar. Spray the cleaner solution over the wax-stained area, then wait 20 minutes before wiping it off.
The solution should aid in dissolving any leftover wax, much as the alcohol did. Once the stain has been removed, use dish soap and water to remove any leftover vinegar solution.
DIY vs. Hiring an Expert
It may be tempting to hire experts if you’re dealing with a wax disaster. To cool and remove the hard areas of the wax that come up readily, we advise attempting DIY methods first.
However, if you want a professional eye to remove bigger stains, engage a nearby company for house cleaning in Orange County that specializes in carpet cleaning. An expert carpet cleaning typically costs between $120 and $230, or roughly $300 for steam cleaning. Additionally, the business may impose a set cleaning price and an extra charge for the removal of wax.