How to Clean Wax Spills from Upholstery

Jack said, “How do you get lemongrass scented wax off the sofa?”

You Will Need:

• A plastic bag
• Ice
• A spoon or dull knife
• A paper towel, paper bag, or craft paper
• An iron
• Rubbing alcohol or denatured alcohol
• Hydrogen peroxide

Steps to Remove the Wax:

1. Fill a plastic bag with ice and lay the bag on the wax to freeze the wax.¹
2. Chip off the solid wax with a spoon or dull knife.¹ Use caution not to tear or damage the upholstery fibers.²
3. Lay a paper towel³, paper bag¹, or craft paper over the remaining wax.²
4. Put an iron on medium heat and rub it over the paper towel.¹
5. As the wax soaks into the paper towel, move the waxy part off the area and put a clean part of the towel over the wax spill to continue melting and absorbing more wax.¹
6. If a stain remains, moisten a cloth with some rubbing alcohol² or denatured alcohol and test it on a hidden area of the couch first to look for any adverse effects. If safe, blot the alcohol onto the stain until the stain is gone.⁴
7. If the stain is not removed with the alcohol, try hydrogen peroxide. Test this on a hidden spot first as it could bleach the upholstery fabric. If safe, blot the stain with the peroxide. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then blot the area with a dry cloth to remove the peroxide.¹

• Goof Off that is safe for upholstery can be helpful for removing candle wax residue and stains after the majority of the wax is removed.²

1. How the Queen Cleans Everything! by Linda Cobb
2. Clean if Fast, Clean it RIGHT by Jeff Bredenberg
3. Joey Green’s Cleaning Magic by Joey Green
4. Natural Stain Removal Secrets by Deborah L. Martin