How to Remove Candle Wax from Wood

Removing wax from any surface can be tricky if there are grooves or pores for the wax to soak into. First, we’ll tackle the wax on the surface and then pull the remaining wax out of the grooves and grains of the wood. The process is simple, but may take a little time and patience.

• Ice cubes
• Spoon or dull knife
• Iron
• Brown paper bags
• Soft cloths
• Hair dryer

1. If the wax is still soft, place some ice cubes in a plastic bag, and lay it on top of the wax. The harder the wax is, the easier it will be to remove.
2. Use the spoon or dull knife to scrape the wax off of the surface. Apply the ice again if it begins to soften. Cold, brittle wax is much quicker to release from the surface.
3. To remove the wax in the grooves, we want the opposite conditions. For removing this wax, it will need to be melted.
4. Preheat the iron on a low setting with no steam.
5. Cover the area with a brown paper bag, and set the iron on top for 10 seconds.
6. Remove the iron. You should see where the wax has transferred to the paper.
7. Repeat with a clean section of paper bag until the wax is completely removed or no longer transfers to the bag.
8. If there is wax deeper in the grooves of the wood, repeat the iron steps with a soft cloth.
9. For the remaining wax, melt it with a hair dryer.
10. Blot with a clean, soft cloth to soak up the melted wax.
11. Repeat until all of the wax is removed.
12. If a dye stain remains, use the guide How to Remove Dye from Finished Wood to remove it.

• Avoid allowing the iron to set for too long on the wood or it may leave a burn mark.
• Avoid setting candles directly on wood surfaces. This is a fire hazard.