Candles, especially scented ones, are becoming more popular in homes these days, because of the sweet scent that they introduce to the living space.
However, there is a downside to the use of candles: the hardened wax stream that they leave behind after melting. Wax on walls can be an eyesore, especially when the marks or stains become very extensive and ruin the wall.
Leaving wax on the wall without cleaning it off can result in additional expenses because you may need to repaint the part of the wall affected by the wax. If you have wax on your wall and want to get rid of it, follow the steps in this article to get the job done.
Removing Wax from a Non-Wooden Wall
Removing wax from the wall should be a walk in the park if you follow the necessary instructions and use the right equipment.
YOU’LL NEED
Paper towel
Tissue Paper
A blunt object like a plastic scraper or plastic ruler
Razor or knife
Hairdryer / Laundry iron
Water
Vinegar
STEPS
STEP 1: Scrape off the Wax
When you observe that there is wax on the wall, especially dried wax, the first thing you want to do is to scrape off as much of the wax as you can with a blunt object like a plastic scraper or a sharp object like a knife or razor.
The kind of object to use depends on the type of wall. Use a plastic scraper or ruler for walls that are likely to get scratched, and use a razor or knife for walls that are less susceptible to scratches.
STEP 2: Melt the Wax With Heat
This is the most delicate step involved in removing wax from the wall because it requires caution. After scraping off the wax with a sharp or blunt object, there is likely to be some leftover wax.
We will now melt off the remnant wax with a heat source like an iron or a hairdryer and paper towels to absorb the melted wax.
When using an iron or a hairdryer, do the following:
1- Place the paper towel on the surface with the wax.
2- Set the iron to its lowest temperature. If you are using a hairdryer, set it to a low or medium temperature.
3- Use the iron or hairdryer on the paper towel that is placed over the wall’s affected area and move it over the surface until the wax begins to melt.
4- Repeat this process until all the wax comes off the wall.
NOTE: If your wall is a wooden one, using heat to melt the wax off the wall may result in a fire accident or damage to the wall. Therefore, it is safer to use ice to get rid of wax from a wood wall. I have discussed that method later in this article.
STEP 3: Clean off the Melted Wax
When the wax begins to melt from the wall, use a clean, dry cloth to wipe it off the wall. Keep doing this until the wall is free of melted wax.
STEP 4: Clean the Stains With Water and Vinegar
In most cases, the wax usually leaves stains on the wall even after successfully removing it from the wall. Therefore, when you see leftover marks on the wall after getting rid of the wax, you should do the following to clean it off without damaging the wall or the paint on it.
1- Prepare a mixture of water and vinegar with a water-to-vinegar ratio of three to one, i.e., for every 3 cups of water, you use 1 cup of vinegar.
2- Apply the mixture to the stained surface and use a clean cloth to rub it off.
3- Repeat the process until the wall becomes spotless.
STEP 5: Dry the Wall with a Dry Cloth
After the cleaning process is complete, the wall may likely have water residue. Use a clean cloth to dry the wall.
Congratulations! Now you have a clean wall free from wax.
Here’s a quick recap of all of the 5 steps:
1- Scrape off as much wax as you can. Alternatively, you can use ice to harden the ice before scraping it off.
2- Melt the remaining wax with a source of heat (hair dryer or iron).
3- Clean off the melted wax.
4- Prepare a solution of water and vinegar to clean stains.
5- Wipe the wall with a dry cloth.
Removing Wax from a Wooden Wall
Here’s a step-by-step process of removing wax from a wooden wall…..
YOU’LL NEED
Ice
Plastic container
Plastic scraper
Cream furniture wax/baby oil
Paper towels
Cloth (2)
Warm water
STEPS
1- Put some ice in a plastic container.
2- Place the container on the affected area for 15 minutes to allow the ice to harden the wax.
3- When the wax is hard enough, use a plastic scraper to scrape it off the wood.
4- Repeat the process until most of the wax is removed.
5- Clean away the wax residue with cream furniture wax or baby oil and paper towels. After this, clean the area with a cloth and warm water.
6- Finally, use a clean cloth to dry the area.
How to Get Wax off Wallpaper?
When trying to get wax off a wallpaper, you have to be careful so that you do not damage the wallpaper in the process of removal.
If the stain caused by wax is minimal, you can try using a blunt object like a plastic scraper or credit card to scrape off the wax. But, if the stain is a big one, you may need to use iron and paper towels.
1- Place the paper towels on the stained portion of the wall.
2- Set the iron to its lowest temperature and put it on the paper towel.
3- Rub the iron against the paper towel to melt off the wax.
4- Repeat the process until the wall is free from wax.
Getting Candle Wax off a Textured Wall
Removing candle wax from a textured wall can be done effectively using a paper towel and heat source. The common heat source used is a hairdryer.
1- Use the hairdryer on the affected part of the wall to melt the wax.
2- Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe the wax off as it melts.
3- Afterward, you can prepare a solution of water and vinegar to clean the wax residue.
Bonus Tip: How to Get Body Wax off the Floor?
When body wax gets on the floor, it solidifies quickly and stains the floor. To remove body wax from the floor, you have to consider the kind of floor finish you are dealing with.
For Concrete Floors
If the wax is still very fresh and yet to solidify, try to wipe off as much of it as you can with a towel.
However, if the wax is hard, you can apply heat (using iron or hairdryer) on the wax to melt it, after which you can use a towel to wipe off the melted wax.
After getting rid of the wax from the floor, use a damp cloth to clean off any residue from the floor. Finally, dry the floor with a dry rag.
For Wood Floors
The process of removing body wax from a wood floor is similar to removing candle wax from wood walls.
It involves using ice to harden the wax, then using a blunt object like a plastic scraper to scratch off the hardened wax. You can use a cream furniture wax to remove any residue.
FAQs
Can you paint over wax on a wall?
Unless you are looking to achieve a certain kind of effect or design pattern, it is not advisable to paint over wax on a wall because it may be resistant to the paint and result in flaking or cracking.
However, if you must paint over wax on a wall, you should try to remove most of the wax from the wall before going ahead.
How to get wax off glass walls?
An absorbent cloth and a hairdryer should be enough to do the trick. To effectively remove wax from a glass wall, scrape away excess wax from the glass, and then use a hairdryer to melt the remaining wax from the glass. Use water and warm water to clean the glass afterward.
If you are not careful when removing wax from glass walls or even other glass surfaces, you can end up scratching the glass and making it look even worse.
However, removing wax from glass surfaces is almost similar to the general process of removing wax from most hard surfaces.
Conclusion
Getting wax off the wall can be a stress-free job if you know the proper process to follow. So, when you discover wax on your wall, do not panic, just get the required cleaning items and get to work.
Cheers!
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