We all love the warm and cozy mood a set of candles can create on a cold, winter night, or whenever we feel like enjoying a more intimate atmosphere. Unfortunately, there are a couple of downfalls to it. First of all, there is always the risk of setting a fire by accident, because of candles that were left unattended or near inflammable items. Secondly, there is the almost inevitable wax-dripping-on-carpet moment that makes you immediately regret your choice of an intimate mood trigger. And if the carpet also happens to be an expensive, $3,000 Persian wool rug, your regret is prone to reach whole new levels.
If you have never handled a wax spot on a carpet before, these next few lines will teach you how to do it the right way with just a few improvised tools you already have at home.
What You’ll Need:
- a bag of ice, carpet cleaner, or rubbing alcohol
- an iron or a hair dryer
- a paper towel or a brown paper bag
- a vacuum cleaner
- a dull knife
- patience
Freeze The Wax On Your Carpet
Start by placing the ice over the stain; you can also use frozen vegetables or whatever else you have laying in the freezer. What you need to do is get the stain as cold as you can. Be patient and let a few minutes pass to make sure all the wax has frozen. Once it will solidify, it will be a lot easier to clean.
Use a butter knife or something similar and get rid of most of the wax. The less wax you need to clean, the better. If you cannot remove a lot of the wax, you can use an iron as an alternative that should work.
If you have managed to successfully get rid of most of the wax, spray the area with a cleaning solvent. Keep rubbing alcohol nearby and use it on the stains the solvent might leave behind. Use a clean cloth to blot the solvent and clean water to eliminate all residue that might have been left behind.
Use a vacuum and clean the carpet until you obtain its initial texture. If this procedure doesn’t work for you, you can always try to melt the wax away using a hair dryer or an iron.
Melting The Wax With An Iron
Cover the wax stain with a paper bag. Place it at the edge of the stain and place a towel under the covered area. You will need to be able to move the bag around once the wax will begin to saturate. This way, you will avoid causing eve more damage to your carpet.
Use the warm setting on your iron and make sure you do not get it too hot, or it will melt the bag. Start to slowly iron over the nag and see th wax being absorbed into the bag and out of your carpet. Once the wax is fully saturated, slide it onto the towel and place it on the part of the paper bag that was left uncovered. Make sure you do not leave the iron for too long or you will burn the carpet. Repeat if necessary and you should be able to eventually get rid of all of the wax.
Use rubbing alcohol to remove any leftover traces. Place a cloth over the stain and use the iron with the steam setting on to absorb the dye. Place the cloth on top of the area that you had sprayed and iron it with the steam setting on. Your beloved carpet should eventually regain its original look.
Hire Expert Carpet Cleaners
If you do not have the time or the energy to try out any of these solutions on your own, you can always get in touch with an professional carpet cleaner. If you live in New York or any of its boroughs, you can get in touch with the Carpet Cleaners 4 Less team and schedule an appointment. We offer free estimates and eco-friendly service, as we can assist you with any carpet cleaning problem you might need help with.
We specialize in stain removal, and wax stains are one of the most common issues we handle on a daily basis. We have got expert tools and equipment that can remove even the most stubborn stains and spots, and we will do it without further damaging your carpet. We will leave your carpet looking brand new and smelling fresh, as we also specialized in deodorizing and steam cleaning services. We will have your carpets professionally vacuumed with the most advanced equipment in the industry.
Give us a call and let us help you get rid of old stains you cannot clean on your own.