Working with wax melts can get messy. While you’re satisfied with the products you make, dealing with spills on all kinds of surfaces and materials is kind of frustrating. That’s why “how do I deal with spills?” is probably a question you’ve had for a while.
This guide will show you the best way to get wax melt spills off a number of surfaces.
Wax melts can spill for a number of reasons. You may have knocked over your warmer or tripped while carrying it around. Either way, getting it off should be the first thing on your mind because wax can cause a bit of damage on certain surfaces. The damage might not appear immediately but it can get pretty bad and cost you more than you think.
HOW TO CLEAN UP SPILLED WAX MELTS
You might want to be intimidated by the concept of cleaning up wax; don’t. Fortunately, wax can be removed with common household cleansers and other materials that you probably already have on hand. Some materials you’ll need are these:
- Hot water
- Dish soap
- Paper towels
- An iron
- Brown paper bags
- Goo Gone
- Glass cleaner
Let’s take a look at how this helps in various situations.
HOW TO CLEAN A WAX MELT THAT HAS SPILLED IN A WARMER
Wax melts will always get on the warmer and cleaning it up shouldn’t be scary for you.
One way to do it is to first remove the larger pieces of wax, then reheat the rest of the wax with a hair dryer, working on one tiny area at a time. Use a paper towel to mop up the wax as it warms, then a damp, lint-free cloth to finish.
It is sometimes easier to remove wax while it is still liquid. Turn the heater on until the wax is completely melted. If the wax level is low or the warmer has a tiny capacity, keep an eye on it because the wax will melt quickly.
Always unplug an electric-powered warmer once the wax has melted and let it cool for a few minutes before completing the cleaning steps.
To avoid unintentional burning, wear heat-resistant gloves or an oven mitt when working with the hot wax. If the wax begins to harden again, scrape the semi-set wax out of the warmer well or dish with a rubber spatula.
HOW TO CLEAN A WAX MELT FROM OTHER SURFACES
Below are some cleaning tips for getting melted wax melts of a number of common surfaces that you may find in your home.
Table or desk
If the surface is wood, use a blow dryer to soften the wax. Once it’s melted, wipe it away with a soft cloth. If greasy puddles remain, gently scrub the area with a moderate dish soap and warm water.
Carpet
Although a carpet may appear to be an impossible surface to clean, your secret weapons are an iron and basic brown paper bags. Place the bag (which is surprisingly absorbent) over the problem area and iron on the lowest setting. Keep the iron moving and add more bags if necessary until all of the wax has been absorbed.
Clothing or Other Cloth
If the wax is still melted when it’s on the cloth, use paper towels to absorb as much as possible. Freeze the object for approximately a half hour, then scrape off the hardened wax and press an iron on the spot but do that with a piece of brown paper between that. If a stain persists, use a stain remover or a dab of laundry detergent before washing.
Walls
Splatters have a habit of getting on everything, including walls. You can use an iron on the lowest setting and sandwich paper towels between the wax and the iron, similar to the brown bag approach.
Tubs and Sinks
In reality, you shouldn’t have a wax warmer close to a sink or tub because water isn’t great for electric appliances. If you do somehow get a wax melt near your tub or sink , wax can be scraped off of bathtub ledges as well as sinks and other hard surfaces with a credit card or other hard plastic edge. If it still won’t budge, try saturating the area with boiling water.
Screens
If your wax melt splatters on your computer or TV, first harden it by running an ice cube over the splatter point. Usually, this will let you just pop it off. After that, Goo Gone can help remove residue.
Glass
If your wax melt got on a glass top, scrape the excess away, then use a blow dryer set to MEDIUM to soften the wax, wiping it away with a rag as it softens. To get the residue off, soapy, hot water is your best choice to clean the area.
Leather Furniture
No need to fret about ruining your expensive leather sofa. To warm the wax without burning the leather, use a blow dryer quickly over the surface. After removing the wax with a clean cloth, apply a leather furniture polish or a moist cloth with mild soap to remove any residue and preserve the leather from drying out.
Skin
To get a wax melt off your skin, what you want to do is wet a clean washcloth in hot water, apply it on the residue, and let it sit for about 60 seconds. Remove the wax from the skin with the washcloth.
You might also use mineral oil, massage oil, or olive oil on a cotton pad. It’s best to use warm oil for this. Hold the moistened pad on the wax residue for two minutes, or until it’s completely saturated. Using a clean cotton pad, wipe away the wax residue.
HOW TO CLEAN USED WAX MELT FROM THE DISH
A common question from new wax melts users is, do wax melts evaporate? unfortunately this is not the case and so we must clean the dish after use.
Cleaning used wax melt from the dish area of the plate is also a very easy task. What you want to do is turn the warmer on and then flip it upside down to get the wax out of the warmer plate. The wax will drip onto a paper towel you have placed under the warmer as it warms up. Be sure to tilt the warmer in different directions to catch all of the wax below and allow it to drip out.
CONCLUSION
I hope this guide has helped you see that cleaning up wax shouldn’t be frustrating or exhausting.
You only need items you already have in your home. Plus, it doesn’t take a lot of your time to have your favorite materials and surfaces back to normal.
If you would like to learn how to clean candle wax from surfaces have a read of this guide as candle wax can often be a little more stubborn.
I started Scents and Aroma as a way to share my knowledge from owning a candle, wax melt, diffuser and bath bomb business so that you can make your home smell lovely too.
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