This simple cleaning tip will show you how to clean candle wax when it accidentally spills on your carpet and walls.
If you still feel like cleaning after you’re done with the spilled wax, grab our Free Cleaning Checklists and get started on the rest of the house!
A Candle Wax Mess
One of my favorite ways to have a house that smells great is to use a wax warmer with delicious smelling wax melts. I usually keep my wax burner on the kitchen counter, but I decided to try putting it in my living room on a side table that I didn’t think got much use.
Unfortunately, within days of putting it there, it got knocked over, and melted candle wax spilled all over the wall and the carpet.
After my initial freak out, I wondered just how I would ever remove this candle wax – it was on there pretty good. I tried a few different things –
Attempt 1 – First, I got a kitchen sponge, but I realized real quick that the wax would not simply “wipe up”.
Attempt 2 – I started scraping the wax along the wall with my fingernails and a plastic fork. I never realized how much I hate textured walls!
Attempt 3 – In desperation, my husband handed me a lighter to try melting the wax off the wall without catching the carpet on fire. (And to think, this very month I am teaching my preschoolers about fire safety! HA!)
Attempt 4 – I googled “How to Clean Spilled Wax”, and found an idea that worked! You’re not going to believe just how easy this is to clean up. Spoiler alert, my husband was actually on to something when he handed me the lighter. Everyone should know this trick! Here’s how to do it.
Items You’ll Need
- Paper Lunch Bags (you’ll need several of them depending on the size of the spill)
- Iron
How To Remove Wax from your Wall & Carpet
Cover – Place the paper bag over the spilled wax.
Warm – Turn the iron onto the lowest setting and begin to “iron” the bag. You’ll want to keep the iron moving consistently. In just a few seconds, the wax will begin to be absorbed by the paper bag!
Again – Repeat the process until you have removed all of the wax from the wall or carpet.
This method worked for the carpet and the wall and it took no time at all! It was amazing to watch, and it kept me and Leah entertained and amused the entire time. Apparently, it works for all surfaces and fabrics! Sweet!
So if you’ve ever wondered how to easily clean candle wax that has spilt all over the carpet, you’re welcome.:)
Lessons Learned
- You can find anything on the internet and it’s fantastic.
- Keep your wax burner and candles off the carpet.
- I am a little obsessed with innovative ways to clean, it might become a problem!
More Easy Cleaning Ideas
- How To Clean The Oven Glass
- Tips For Cleaning The Microwave
- How To Get Your Washing Machine Clean
- How To Easily Clean Your Vents
- Tips For Cleaning A Refrigerator
Did anyone else not know this or was it just news to me?
This idea was originally featured on Somewhat Simple in April of 2009
What a great idea! It totally worked for me.
That’s awesome! So glad I could help.
LOL. You described the exact efforts we took to clean it. Your solution worked perfect for the floor. We switched to damp rags for the walls, which also did fine. You can use the hot towel to clear out the nooks and crannies.
Good to know! Thanks Teresa!
omg! husband was making a face with wax on the living room wall, …anyway I jumped on Pinterest and yay!!! yes ma’am this process works like a charm!! love that iron or blow dryer does the job.
SO glad it worked for you Sylvia! 🙂
How do you get the spilled wax off of your candle melts warmer?? I had a party for my husband and when everyone left I noticed wax on the walls, carpet, and all over the warmer ugh. I got it off the carpet with the iron trick but not sure what to do about the warmer? Please help I love that warmer!
Ok here’s the simple solution to wax on the wall I freaked yesterday when my daughter bumped mine and sent blue wax all over my white wall so I took a pizza cutter and tried but I was scared of scratching the wall and I sure wasn’t about to iron it so I took a dust pan and the small hand held broom thing scrunch the bristles up and go to town the wax turns to like dust and leaves no oil mark or burn mark and all the wax came off I was so surprised. I just swept up the mess no big deal.
YAY! That is so good to know! Thanks Tiffany!
Two giant candles spilt so much red wax all overy our white carpet… the wax spills are huge. How do I get that much up from two giant candles? Will the iron & wrag trick work?
Thank you for the tips!!! I’ve been hiding the wax spill behind the blanket stand.
Now I can de-clutter that side of the room; and reveal the wall again!
Happy hint-hunting to us all… 😉
I’m glad you found this useful! 🙂 Have fun cleaning!
I have cleaned up spilled wax using an old towel and iron. Then you don’t have to worry about the iron. I found this out a couple of years ago when I spilt wax from a candle warmer all over the floor in my dorm room. Thankfully mom was around to help clean up.
Thanks for sharing! One of the first grade teachers I work with has a wax problem on a wall at school! I am going to send her the link! 🙂
Oh, I knew that! It’s how me and my husband got together… He had candle wax on his jacket and I offered to take it home and get rid of it…
Wow, thank you so much for this! This has happened to us a couple of times, and now I finally know how to clean it up!! 😉
If your iron is a non-stick surface, try ironing over a piece of crumbled aluminum foil to get the burned spot off. I have a craft iron that has ironed just about every type of thing imaginable and it always cleans up nicely with a piece of foil.
Thanks for the tip Darla! Getting that burn mark off my iron was next on my list! 🙂
Oh how this is the perfect tip for today… I NO KIDDING just spilled a bunch of candlewax all over my floor!
This is also a fantastic idea! Another tried-and-true solution is a hair-dryer and paper towel. I had my Scentsy wall plug-in in the outlet behind my couch (it has recliners so they don't fit right against the wall). One day I had my nieces over and they chased each other behind my couches & knocked my warmer out of the wall. So out came the hair dryer.
*We now have the rule that nobody goes behind the couches lol*
What a great idea! I guess after the shock of all that mess a neat way to clean it up helped a little! lol