Candles are aesthetic, and you use them in your home almost everywhere, depending upon your mood and desire. But as they are made up of wax, that can be troublesome at times.
Your beautiful wooden tables, floors, and wooden surfaces can get wax spilled over them when candles are used upon them. Thus, it can harm your excitement.
But, if you have resolved to remove all the wax off your wooden surfaces, including furniture and floor, then you have certainly come to the right place.
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How to Get Wax Off Wood – Details Process
This article contains all that is necessary for you to know to remove wax from wood. The comprehensive and step-by-step guide will help you out in this situation.
So, read through to know how to get wax off wood without further ado.
1. Situations Faced
First things first, let’s talk about the situations that can be faced in this context. We tend to place candles on a lot of surfaces. Most of them are wooden.
That wood can be a simple board, a table, a wooden floor, hardwood floors, etc. Also, the circumstances can be different in which the wax was spilled.
In these situations, you should exactly know what to do. This article will help you a lot in those situations.
Requisitions
There are several methods for getting off with the wax. All those methods require different apparatus to be functional. Thus, depending upon the condition of wax and availability, you can opt for your desired method.
If your table gets waxy, you would need a hairdryer, a paper towel, vinegar & water solution, and a drying cloth. These things are available easily, and you can bring them to your use.
There is another way that asks for an iron, a cloth to place, and a cloth to wipe. This is also an efficient way, and we will get into its detail as well.
Another method asks you for a sponge to scrub, a white spirit, and a cleaning cloth. This is another efficient way that cleans your wood in very little time.
There is a method that includes hardening of wax to make it brittle. You can use ice for this purpose and a scraper.
Thus, there are a lot of ways to remove wax from wood. If you want to about the best one, I will explain it all to you and then tell you my recommendation. You can also try all of these to find yourself the well-suited one.
In other cases, you can opt for the method that seems right to you!
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2. Methods
Method 1 – Blow Dryer or Hair Dryer Method
This is the most amazing method and my personal favorite, and that is why I am going to put to on top. In this method, as I mentioned in requisitions, you would need a hairdryer as the main apparatus.
- First off, clean your wooden surface, table to remove any dirt.
- Now, switch the blow dryer on and set it on hot air. After that, blow that hot air over the wax that is stuck on the wood.
- After some time, you will notice that the wax has started melting, and it will begin to flow as well. When its fluidity goes higher, using a paper towel, starts wiping.
- Keep on blowing and wiping until you remove all the wax from the wood.
- Now, once it is done, next is the finishing process; you can use a soft cloth and vinegar & water solution for this purpose.
- Spill the solution over the surface and, using a soft cloth, clean it. For drying purposes, use a drying cloth in the end.
- The good news is that this method can also remove wax crayon marks.
Thus, this is an efficient way to get candle wax off the wood. Now you also know how to get wax off the wood table.
This is because the ordinary methods can cause scratches and may damage the surface of your table. But using this technique, you will retain your table’s beautiful finish.
Read Also: How to Make Rustic Wood Sign
Method 2 – Cloth Iron Process
This is another efficient way in which you would need iron and some clothes only. The secret is that you have to iron and wipe and repeat.
So, let’s start with the procedure!
- First, make sure that the wax is hard enough. Now, gather a thick cloth and put it on the wax that was spilled over the surface.
- Turn the iron ON and for 30 seconds, iron it over that cloth. You will see that the wax has started melting. Using another cloth, start wiping the wax off the surface.
- Now on loop, repeat this process until you remove all the wax off the wood.
- Make sure to change the cloth if it gets stained or soaked with wax to obtain good results.
- Remember that this method is also very suitable for softwoods or finished woods that you do not want to damage or scratch.
- Using this technique, you will never lose the great appearance of your wood (table or floor).
- The iron should be set on medium to not burn anything. Also, take the appropriate safety measures before doing this procedure.
This is the second most efficient method in my view as it removes wax by melting it. The melting process helps to get off with every molecule of wax.
But, use the right clothes to not regret after.
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Method 3 – Scrubbing Sponge and a White Spirit Method
The third method in this article consists of a simple technique. But it cannot be very polite. Thus, it should be used where either the wood is hard, or the wood is to be finished after.
This is because we will do a little scrubbing in this method. So, a good surface can get faded or damaged.
- First off, gather a scrubbing sponge and a white spirit. Now, spread the spirit over the surface of the wood. Using a sponge, start scrubbing to get off with the wax.
- You will have to repeat this procedure until all the wax gets out of the wood. Usually, 2-3 goes are sufficient in this procedure.
- You can either do it the other way around. I mean, you can add spirit to the sponge until it is wet with it and then clean the wood.
- By this method, you know how to get the wax residue off hardwood floors and surfaces. The hardwood is the more suitable word because it is less vulnerable to scratches.
But I would recommend you use this technique where you want to resurface or refinish your furniture with polish and stuff.
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Method 4 – Ice and Credit Card Method
This is the last method in general techniques, and after that, I will also talk specifically. But let’s get done with it first.
This is the simplest type to go with. You should remember that this is a cold method of removal. Thus, you will require some ice in this method with a scrubber. You can also use your credit card in place of the scrubber.
- Using ice, harden the wax better. Once it is completely hard, you can use the scrubber or your credit card to gently remove the wax from the wood.
- This process will remove the excess amount of wax, and there will be very little left afterward. For that, you can use spirit, vinegar & water solution, or other chemicals suitable for your wood with a piece of cloth.
- Thus, for a greater finish, using solution and cloth, remove all that is left over the surface. This method is useful where the wood is either hard, or you can afford scratches.
- Hardening is very efficient, and it removes most of the wax easily, but keep in mind the demerits of it as well.
Thus, by knowing this method, you know how to get wax off a table, wood floor, or simply wood. But the preferred use of this method goes in favor of rough wood and hardwood.
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In the Case of Hardwood
Specifically speaking, hardwood is mostly used in floors and tough furniture. If they get waxy, you can use a lot of techniques to remove that wax.
One method is by ice technique. In this, as I explained earlier, you can just place the ice over the wax to harden it more, and then using a scrubber, you can scrub that off.
Another way is to just scrub. As these woods are less vulnerable to scratches, thus, using a scrubber, you can simply remove the residual wax off the hardwood.
The hot process is also workable for this case. You can apply the blow dryer (set at hot) over the wax, and now you can clean that as well.
These procedures will make you know how to get wax off hardwood floors or the residues of wax off from hardwood floors.
3. Do’s & Don’ts
Do’s
Always make sure about the type of wood from which you are going to remove wax because the method on the wrong wood may cause trouble. Thus, it is necessary to note it first.
- Use the methods designated for softwoods and hardwoods specifically, and do not mix them.
- While removing, make sure you have all the necessary equipment available.
- While using hot techniques, make sure to wear a mask to avoid inhaling the fumes of wax.
- While using hot techniques, wear gloves as well for good safety.
- Keep in mind the finish of your wooden surface; for this purpose, choose a method wisely and perform it carefully.
Read Also: Choose 10 Best Wood for Salad Bowls Guide
Don’ts
- Avoid the usage of mineral spirits. Especially in hardwoods, they will also remove the floor wax that is a protective layer.
- Avoid aggressive scrubbers like steel wool. These are very bad for the wood surface, and the wood may lose its good appearance after the use of these.
- Do not use scrubbing techniques for softwoods like of table. This will cause serious trouble for you. So, better avoid it.
- Do not ever use sharp equipment like a knife, fork, blade for this purpose. This will make you regret it after. So, to avoid scratches, use a better technique.
- Do not compromise for scratches if you are not going to re-polish your wood. Scratches will take away all the aesthetics of your wood.
- Do not apply the wrong procedures to avoid damaging the wood.
Read Also: Choose 10 best Wood for Carving Bowls
4. Combining
So, I discussed many techniques in this article, and each of them was somewhere suitable for a specific purpose. The four main methods were thus illustrated.
You can use them by combining them as well. But it depends on your job. Like, you can use the spirit technique in the blow dryer method as well for a good finish.
If you have medium-grade wood, all these methods will be almost applicable. But then it will depend on the availability of equipment as well.
The most effective method that I found was method one that includes a blow dryer procedure. It can be used on both soft and hardwoods. Also, it gives great results in the end with no scratches at all.
Read Also: 10 Best Wood for Dremel Carving to buy
5. Surface Finish
If you want to refinish your wooden surface, you can adopt any method of wax cleaning. And once it is all cleaned. You can sand the surface to smooth it. The wood is prepared.
After smoothing the surface, the next thing is to apply oil and rub the whole surface. Once it gets dried up, rub it with steel wool for further smoothing.
Now apply wax to it. This wax is especially the polishing wax to have a smoother texture.
After waxing, the final stage is buffing. Using appropriate supplies, buff it completely. In this way, you will get a renewed, finely finished glossy wooden surface.
Thus, do not worry about scratches if you are going to do a finished job on it after.
Conclusion
Wax removing off the wood (any kind) might seem simple, but it is tricky, trust me. If you do not take care of the wood and procedure, you will end up regretting your decision.
I would recommend you follow the right method according to your wood and suitability. If you have read the whole thing, I expect you know how to get wax off wood quite comprehensively.
I hope this is enough, and now the rest is up to you. Clean your table for another candlelight dinner, or clean your wood for any other purpose to revive.
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