Asked on Jan 07, 2019

How do I remove candle wax from a velvet chair?

Dana
by Dana
  6 answers
  • 2dogal 2dogal on Jan 07, 2019

    Ice the wax first to chip/scrape as much off as possible. Then take a warm iron and multiple layers of paper towels. Lay the paper towels on the wax and warm it with the iron to melt the wax and have the paper towels absorb the wax. A tedious process, but it works.

  • Tracey Tracey on Jan 07, 2019

    https://youtu.be/RiA7M9XPq3c



    Hi Dana you can try using this video?! You may also want to try using a blow dryer and paper towels!?

  • LorXena Koneczny LorXena Koneczny on Jan 07, 2019

    Hopefully the wax was plain white. Otherwise, there could be a permanent stain after removal, especially with darker colored candle waxes. Use ice first. Place ice in a clear plastic freezer-quality zip-closed baggie. I prefer to double bag since getting the velvet wet at this point could cause delay of wax removal. If the bag leaks water onto the velvet, it makes it a little more difficult to brush off the chips of wax since it won't brush away as easily. Set the bag of ice on top of a section of the velvet area where the candle wax has dripped. Glide the ice bag gently to protect the velvet fabric from getting wet. When the wax gets cold, it is easier to crack it and remove it by gently breaking up the wax with your fingers and scratching it up off the velvet with your fingernails and/or a fine tooth comb. Be patient and very gentle so you don't pull out the velvet fibers! Keeping the wax cold allows for easier removal. It really depends on the quality of the wax used to make the candle. Expensive organic bees wax is more difficult to remove than cheaper candle wax because bees wax is stickier than generic candle wax.

    Get as much wax out of the velvet as possible before the next phase. (Note: Sometimes, especially if the wax was not pressed down into the velvet fibers, this may be all you need to do to get the wax off the surface of the velvet. However, if the wax went deeply into the velvet fabric, you may need to re-warm the wax to coax it to get out of the velvet nap.)

    So, if there is still wax residue on the velvet, go to the next step. Now use just a warm (not hot!) iron and many paper towels in the next phase. (I recommend a heavy duty paper towel like Bounty brand because it is less likely to tear as much.) Place a paper towel over the area and gently press the slightly warm iron on top of the paper towel to encourage the wax to adhere to the paper towel. Take iron away from paper towel and allow the towel to cool just slightly so that it is more likely to adhere to the paper towel and then gently peel the paper towel up from the velvet. You will need to experiment with your procedure until you have found the perfect timing of when to gently pull up on the paper towel. Do this several times using a new paper towel each time.

    Once you have removed as much wax as possible, use a warm clean damp sponge or microfiber cloth with a very small amount of Dawn dish soap to clean up the left-behind oily wax residue. Rub back and forth gently side to side perpendicular to the velvet nap. Do not scrub too hard! Be gentle. Next, use a dry paper towel or different dry clean sponge or dry absorbent microfiber cloth to wipe off the dish soap. Then use a damp microfiber cloth to gently extract the the velvet again to gradually rinse the soap out of the velvet.

    Once you are satisfied that you've removed both the wax residue and the soap, then use a new dry cloth to soak up as much moisture from the velvet as possible and then gently brush or comb the nap down flat. Now press dry paper towels on that area to absorb more wetness up as possible. Repeat the process with fine tooth comb and gently comb in the same direction as the nap so that the velvet can air dry. When you go back to inspect the velvet after it has dried thoroughly, check to see if there appears to be any left over wax/oil residue. Oily residue areas will appear darker. Repeat wash process if there is still residue. Never use harsh chemicals or anything that can discolor the velvet fabric. If the candle wax was colored with a dye, do not use the warm iron method. The warm iron method will probably set the dye and cause a permanent stain to the velvet. You will need to use a stain-remover. If so, test the stain remover on a an area of the velvet that is hidden from view, like underneath the chair. Wishing you the best!

  • Amir Hyman Amir Hyman on Jan 03, 2023

    To remove candle wax from a velvet chair, you can try the following steps:


    1. First, let the wax harden and cool completely. This will make it easier to remove.
    2. Once the wax is hard, use a spoon or a butter knife to gently scrape off as much of the wax as possible.
    3. If there is still wax remaining on the chair, place a brown paper bag or a piece of wax paper over the wax and use a low heat setting on your iron to gently melt the wax. The wax will be absorbed into the paper, making it easier to remove.
    4. If the wax is particularly stubborn, you may need to use a commercial wax remover or a dry cleaning solvent to dissolve the wax. Follow the instructions on the product to apply it to the affected area.
    5. Once the wax is removed, use a vacuum to remove any remaining debris from the chair.


    I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

  • Mogie Mogie on Jan 04, 2023

    Use an ice bag to harden the spilled wax. Flake the wax off of the upholstery with a dull knife such as a butter knife. Gently iron the stain with a warm iron, changing the paper when the wax transfers to the paper. Blot the area with rubbing alcohol to remove any remaining residue.