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James asked: How do I remove candle wax that has dripped onto a porch brick floor?
Candles make beautiful decorations on mantles and fireplaces, but when they spill or melt-over, they can leave a horrible mess. Bricks are porous, allowing the wax to go beyond the surface and seem to permanently attach itself there. Removing wax from this brick requires a little extra work, but can still be accomplished fairly easily. By pulling the wax up out of the pores, the entire stain should be removed along with any rings or discolored areas.
You Will Need:
- Spoon or dull knife
- Iron
- Heat gun (optional)
- Newspapers or soft towels
- Rubbing alcohol
The Removal Process:
- Begin by scraping away as much wax as possible from the surface using the spoon or dull knife.
- When all of the wax is free from the surface, the next step is to melt the remaining wax so that it can be removed. To accomplish this, use a heat gun or iron (with no steam) to gently heat and melt the remaining wax.
- Once it has melted, place a soft cloth or newspaper on top of the area and gently press. The wax should transfer to the newspaper or cloth and be pulled out of the brick. If necessary, place the iron on top of the paper/cloth to provide additional heat and keep the wax melted while it transfers.
- Repeat as necessary, using clean newspaper or cloths until all of the wax is removed.
- If there is wax that cannot be reached with the newspaper or cloth, it may be possible to heat it enough with the heat gun that the wax will dissipate. A small amount of dabbing with a soft cloth will help to remove the remaining wax the works its way up to the surface.
- If wax still remains, try heating it until it is soft and then applying rubbing alcohol with the soft cloth. Rub gently until all of the wax is removed.
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Additional Tips and Ideas
- Use caution when operating a heat gun as it they can reach high temperatures and cause burns.
Thanks for the hair dryer tip. I tried it with the goopy aroma wax melt that spilled on the floor. I scraped off the excess and blasted the residue with the hair dryer, and wiped it off with a paper towel. Thank you!!
Started with the iron; it was very slow going. Switched to my hair dryer which has a high heat setting and used paper towels to sop up the wax when wet. This was awesome!
I got all of the wax off, but there is a grease-looking stain still.
I used Bar Keepers Friend with a bristle brush after I softened the wax with the iron-on paper. Then I used boiling water on it with a thick washcloth. I ironed the wet wash cloth, having to do it several times to wipe up all of the Bar Keepers Friend. Looks great now!
I have a similar problem, but in my case it is a painted brick wall. Any ideas for removing the wax without damaging the paint? It’s a rented house, so I can’t re-paint.