Removing Wax Spill From Inside the Sink Basin
by
Kerensa Zieske
(IC: homeowner)
I have a wax warmer next to my bathroom sink. Thankfully, it wasn't overly full when it was bumped and tipped. It is soy based wax so it remains very soft. Maybe this will be helpful for someone else as well.
The spill from the warmer into the sink. I had already started scraping. I closed the drain stop before the start of the "shaving" removal. DO NOT USE ANY WATER UNTIL AFTER YOU ARE DONE USING THE BLOW DRYER. PUT YOUR DRYER AWAY BEFORE YOU USE WATER. Thank you, it is for your safety.
I used a safety razor blade (typically used to clean glass stove tops) I highly recommend being very gentle with this tool. You don't want to create scratches in the finish of your sink. I just scraped across the surface of the wax and it came up in small sheets.
The wax rolling up on itself. I just scraped away from the drain and kept it in a central pile to make it easier to remove. I scraped around the drain to remove as much as I possibly could.
I then took a dry paper towel and used aggressive pressure to remove the rest of the wax from the ring of the drain.
I purchased this tiny whisk and pan from the dollar store about a year ago. It has been a life saver. I used it to remove the majority of the wax pile and into the rubbish bin it went.
I then used my blow dryer on high to heat the side of the sink and a plain DRY paper towel to wipe up the finite wax. The paper absorbs the last bit of wax. Please remember to unplug and put your dryer away at this point.
Drain is still stopped. Make a thick paste of Bar Keeper's Friend (or powdered detergent of your choice) by mixing cleaner and water right in in the sink. Gently scrub all over the surface of the sink. Everywhere the wax may have left a residue. Rinse with fresh water to remove all the cleaner.
My drain was not clogged, although some appeared to have gone down into the drain. I boiled 2 cups of very hot water on the top of my stove. Be very careful and pour this water down the drain slowly.
I have an electric kettle and filled that to capacity and let it properly heat. I felt this would be a safer alternative to spilling a pot of water on myself. I slowly poured this down the drain as well. It was much hotter then the water from the pot. Then I ran some water from the faucet to test the drain. It is properly working.
My "no-wax" sink. Thank you for your time and interest in this post. My first one. The lighting in my bathroom makes the sink look less then white, but it is a bright white.
Enjoyed the project?
Published December 10th, 2015 2:56 PM
Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 6 comments
-
Sharon Phillips on Dec 14, 2015I use rubbing alcohol. With your drain closed, remove as much wax as possible (I also scrap mine out the same way). Then pour alcohol on the wax that is surrounding the drain. It softens it up so that you can use paper towels to wipe it out; I usually take my finger to help loosen it up. Also, after removing the wax in the bowl by scrapping it I wipe my sink down with the alcohol. I just pour a good amount on a few paper towels and wipe the sink clean. No blower dryer needed, no wax going down the drain. FYI when your warmer gets that build up at the bottom that occurs over time you can do the same thing to it (DO NOT SCRAPE your warmer with anything) . Just pour the alcohol into the bowl of the burner and let it set for about one minute. Again, I use my finger to help loosen the wax. The I pour it in the trash and wipe down with paper towels while it is still wet from the alcohol.
-
-
Jean Myles on Dec 17, 2015Ty for sharing. You did a great job for a first timer. Here's waiting to hear more from you.
-
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?