Despite the large number of various powders and cleaning products on the market, it is possible to cope with some stains only with the help of natural products. In this article, we will talk about candle wax, which is very difficult to wash and clean by hand.
General recommendations
Experienced housewives are advised not to even try to wipe the wax from clothes with either bare hands or in the delicate washing machine. The remnants of a wax candle, unfortunately, do not dissolve with ordinary water, and washing solutions do not cause them much harm. With paraffin, by the way, the situation is even more complicated - with improper exposure, the substance not only does not wash, but, on the contrary, eats even more strongly into the fibers of clothing. Besides it is always necessary to wait for the paraffin to solidify completely, otherwise the problem area will only expand.
If you do not keep within 48 hours after the appearance of the spot, then it will be practically impossible to remove it. In this case, it makes sense to use citric acid, the crystals of which are abundantly sprinkled with pollution.
Spraying the stained area with warm water from the spray bottle, you only have to wait a third of an hour and collect the remaining household sponge. Further, you can already use one of the following techniques. From silk and wool, old wax is sometimes removed with conventional dishwashing detergents. The liquid is poured onto the stain and dragged on for one day with cling film. The treated fabric is stretched using laundry soap.
After cleaning the main wax stain, a greasy mark often remains on the surface.
You can remove it with the help of ammonia with kerosene, acetone, turpentine or some kind of household chemicals.You need to apply the product for a day, and then wash it in the classical way.
The use of various means
Sometimes it is possible to remove a paraffin stain from clothes by simply keeping it at a low temperature, and then brushing the fabric with a toothbrush. However, in some cases, it is basically impossible to remove the remains of the candle mechanically, therefore it is necessary to first dissolve the wax. Will come to the rescue ammonia. A teaspoon of the product is dissolved in a liter of water, after which a cotton swab is impregnated in the resulting solution. The wax stain is wiped with a solution, after which the fabric is necessarily rinsed. This method can save even the most delicate and delicate fabrics.
Turpentine also works well. Mixing it with ordinary water in a 1: 1 ratio, you will need to treat it with a wax blot. However, after that it will not be enough just to rinse the clothes, she will need a full wash. From an unpleasant odor or streaks on the surface, an additional rinse in a mixture of water and vinegar will help.
Some household cleaning products help to cope with wax. On dense, non-deformable fabric, whiteness can be used. The components contained in it melt the wax and separate it from the tissue fibers. White applied directly to the blot, and then wiped with a regular cotton swab. The washing procedure ends.
Some cleaning products are also able to handle wax. Granules of powder are simply poured onto a moistened stain, then rubbed into the surface and left for 20-30 minutes. Having brushed off the powder with an ordinary brush, it is necessary to complete the washing procedure. When processing jeans, it makes sense to use an ammonia solution that is applied to the stain for several minutes. Finally, an anti-fat product can come to the rescue. Fresh wax can be cleaned and with heated vegetable oil, which is left for 5 minutes, and then washed off with a dishwashing detergent.
Main methods
Getting rid of candle wax or paraffin begins with the fact that fragments of the hardened substance that can be removed are removed with small scissors or some kind of kitchen tool. All movements should be very careful so as not to damage the fabric itself.
In order to remove a paraffin stain, it is most often used hot method, the essence of which is to heat the problem area. If you bring the substance to the melting point, then it will move away from the fabric fibers. The easiest way to carry out such a procedure using an iron, heated to 80 degrees.
When starting work, it is better to turn off the steam supply.
Further, while the electric appliance is warming up, it is necessary to prepare a regular napkin, cotton cloth and a white sheet of suitable size. The napkin is placed under the clothes and on top of it, and the pollution itself is covered with a cloth and a sheet of paper. By ironing, paraffin is melted, which easily separates from the fibers. After completing the procedure, do not do without washing the processed clothes. If this is necessary, then you can additionally use a stain remover to eliminate greasy stains.
Despite the effectiveness of this method, it is not suitable for any situation. Firstly, synthetic fabrics are forbidden to iron at a temperature of 80 degrees, and secondly, this method is not used when wiping wax from colored candles. When heated, the dye contained in the composition is only more strongly absorbed into the fabric surface, after which the thing will be irreversibly damaged.
An ordinary hair dryer will also help wipe away wax from clothes, an alternative to which can be garment steamer. In addition, you will need a piece of natural fabric, for example, an old towel or a T-shirt. The stain is covered with a tissue and heated with steam. As a result of exposure to hot air, paraffin or wax will begin to melt and soak into unnecessary tissue.If the end result is not satisfactory, then the action can be repeated as many times as desired.
I must say that the steamer in this case is much more effective than a hair dryer, but it must be placed at a ten-centimeter distance from the processed clothing.
Heating spoiled things can be done even with boiling water. The soiled thing is laid out in a bowl and poured with a small amount of freshly boiled water so that the liquid passes through the blot. Next, the clothes are sent to normal washing.
You can try to clean the wax using a spoon heated over a fire. Paraffin or wax is covered with a napkin, and then a spoon is laid on the damaged area. When the cutlery has cooled, you can remove the napkins and send clothes to the laundry.
Another effective solution to the problem is considered freezing. However, it is suitable only for certain types of fabric, namely jeans, leather, wool, as well as products with pile.
Freezing can be done not only in the freezer, but also with the help of ice cubes.
Removal from different types of tissue
To clean the wax of a church candle or paraffin, jeans or woolen trousers are convenient in the freezer. The same, by the way, applies to a leather jacket or pants, or a coat with a pronounced pile. The thing is simply put into the freezer, after which the cured wax easily moves away from the fibers. Small spots can be eliminated with ice cubes or ice water. Cleaning wax is easier with a toothbrush or clothing.
Delicate fabrics can only be cleaned with ice cubes. The pieces are applied to a wax blot, which is cleaned with a toothbrush after a few minutes. After completing the procedure, you need to soap the stain, wait 30 minutes and wash the clothes.
The most "problematic" fabrics are silk, satin, chiffon and organza.. Since they are deformed under the influence of high temperatures, a hot method for cleaning them from wax is usually impossible. Experts recommend soak such a thing in a basin, and then try to wipe the stain with a cloth made from natural fabric. After cleaning, you will additionally have to use a stain remover. Synthetic clothing, for example, made of chiffon, is best treated with a cleaner applied to the sponge. but First, you should test the chemical on the inconspicuous part of the soiled clothing.
Wool and silk and dresses made of them are cleaned with a conventional dishwashing detergent. It will be enough to apply the substance for 12 hours, and then carefully wash the subject of the wardrobe. The hardened wax remains convenient to clean with a nail file or a small spatula. Colored wax, as a rule, creates a big problem for any fabric, since the dye in the composition penetrates deep into the fibers, and high temperatures only “fix” the result. Therefore, the only thing that can be done is to put the clothes in the freezer, and then try to eliminate the stain mechanically.
To wash suede clothes or furniture, it is enough to cover the blot with a sheet of white paper, and after 3 seconds add a heated iron. If this action is ineffective, then you need to combine 30 grams of an aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide, 10 grams of wine vinegar and 40 milliliters of gasoline. A cotton pad is dipped in the mixture and applied to the wax stain for several seconds. In conclusion, everything must be cleaned with a clean rag or suede brush. It is better to remove the fur in the freezer, or else cover it with an ice pack. Then the wax droplets are cleaned mechanically.
Suede pile is not forbidden to process with steam, and then clean it with a brush or dry sponge. The main thing is not to rub the blots to avoid increasing pollution. A mixture of water and ammonia or even medical alcohol can also be applied to the stain.The skin practically does not interact with the wax, and therefore it will be enough to hold the item in the refrigerator, then bend the spots in place and remove the wax pieces manually.
The shiny trace at the end is eliminated with a regular cloth moistened with acetone or ammonia.
In general, the choice of a cleaning agent depends on the type of fabric. It will be enough to subject the cotton, wool and other dense fabric to heat treatment, including soaking in water heated to 70 degrees. Delicate tissue, on the contrary, should be frozen.
You will learn more about how to clean wax from candles from clothes.
