Getting candle wax off hardwood floors can be challenging if you don’t know how to go about it. Assuming you have those hot wax drippings on your floor, you will find easy ways to take them off in this article.
Allow hot candle wax to cool first before trying to get them off your hardwood floors; don’t be in a hurry to clean it off.
When it dries up, gently wipe it up properly, so you don’t damage your floor. But how exactly do you go about this?
There are two easy techniques on how to get candle wax off hardwood floors, but first, you will need these materials.
Materials needed to get candle wax off hardwood floors
If you’re wondering what removes candle wax off wood floors, there you go!
Here are all you will need:
- ice cubes
- A small flat plastic object; preferably a plastic razor blade
- hair dryer
- wood furniture wax
- Clean cloth
Read: How to clean Brazilian cherry hardwood floor
How to get candle wax off hardwood floors
Table of Contents
Method 1: Removing wax with ice cubes
In this method, we will be removing candle wax off hardwood floors using an ice cube.
Step 1: Place the ice cube on the wax.
Place your ice cube on the wax drippings for 30 seconds. This will quickly harden the wax drippings and make scraping very easy.
If the wax is still fresh on the wooden floor, you may have to hold the ice cube for up to a minute or more.
Step 2: Gently scrape using a plastic razor.
We recommend using a plastic razor blade to scrape off the frozen candle wax gently. If you don’t have a plastic razor blade handy, use a credit card or small flat plastic object.
Do the scraping gently to avoid scraping into the wood’s surface. If the candle wax is not going off easily, you may need to re-freeze.
Step 3: Use a clean cloth to wipe the area
Before wiping the wooden floor with a clean cloth, we advise you to rub your fingers over it to ensure you properly scraped the wax.
Then use a clean cloth to wipe the affected area thoroughly. You may need to repeat the process until the candle wax is totally off your hardwood floor.
Method 2: Removing Wax With Heat
This is an alternative method to get candle wax off hardwood floors.
Step 1: Use a hairdryer on the candle wax
Place a hairdryer, on medium heat, directly on the candle wax drippings. Ensure you are far from the area.
The heat works great in softening wax and makes scraping easy.
Step 2: Use a plastic razor to pop the candle wax
Use the plastic razor to gently scrape the candle wax off your hardwood floor when the candle wax softens.
Step 3: Apply a wood furniture wax
You can apply wood furniture wax on the wooden floor if you have it handy. This will not only help get rid of any waxy residue but also re-polish the surface of your hardwood floors.
This second method is quite similar to the first, except that we used a hairdryer to soften the wax drippings instead of an ice cube to harden.
Things you shouldn’t use to get candle wax off hardwood floors
The following are likely to cause damage to your wooden floors if used to remove candle wax.
1. Mineral spirit
Mineral spirit is a no-no when it comes to hardwood floors. It can take the main floor wax off a protected hardwood floor, leaving it prone to wood-eating bugs like termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, etc.
2. Steel wool
Steel wool is generally aggressive for cleaning floors. Avoid using steel wool or iron wool if you intend to protect your hardwood floors.
3. Knives or other sharp objects
It might be tempting, but don’t use knives or a steel razor blade on your hardwood floors.
4. Green scrubbies
These can also damage your hardwood floors if used to remove candle wax.
Read: How to remove orange glo from hardwood floor
Conclusion
You can get candle wax off hardwood floors by using any of the two simple methods outlined in this article. Ensure you follow the procedures carefully until every wax dripping is off your floor.
Lastly, sharp objects can damage your hardwood floors; avoid using them at all costs.
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