In this short guide I will be sharing tips on how to remove wax from your clothes.
To be on the safe side, consider the type of fabric you are working with before you attempt to use the method wax removal method for all materials. Of course, there are methods that work on all types of fabrics, but there are others that require heat and steam, which can damage delicate materials like silk.
As such, it is better when you find a method that removes wax on the specific fabric you have. The care symbols on your garment ought to guide you when dealing with delicate garments.
This method works for all types of fabrics. The amount of heat used should be low, and you must have a paper towel over the fabric while applying heat.
Below are the steps.
Give the wax spill a few minutes to dry. If you attempt to scrape it off when it is still wet, it will spread over the surface very fast and you’ll be dealing with a bigger mess.
Give it time to harden, which will also make your work easier. However, if you are already late and need to remove the wax fast, you can press some ice cubes over the wax to harden it.
Scrape off the wax using the back of a knife or another blunt object. The type of fabric should guide you on the amount of force needed to scrape wax. If you are dealing with light fabrics, be careful or you might stretch the material when you apply too much force.
Be gentle as you work on the garment to avoid tears or getting the object caught up in the fiber. Take your time, starting from the edges of the wax inwards.
Lay the garment on an ironing board. Place a paper towel over and another one under the wax. You can use blotting papers too. Place a clean cloth over the paper towel on top of the garment.
The purpose is to steam the wax and make it stick to the paper towels. The piece of cloth will protect the fabric and also increase moisture under the paper towels. The trapped moisture will cause the wax to melt.
Heat an iron, and apply the heat to the area above the wax. This will remove the wax left behind after you scrapped off. When using heat, take note of the type of fabric you are ironing.
Keep the heat low, and press the paper towel gently without staying in one section very long. After a few rounds of ironing over the paper towel, the wax will melt and transfer to the towels.
Remove the piece of cloth and the paper towels. Check for any traces of wax on the garment. If there is wax, repeat the process. If it’s spotless, leave it on the ironing board or hang it to let it dry.
Wear it or wash it the normal way along with other garments. Overall, removing wax should take you about half an hour or one hour.