Remove Hair Removal Wax from the Carpet

DIY body hair removal can be a hassle, but it becomes even more of a bother when body wax finds its way into the carpet. Removing it improperly can tear up your carpet or leave a nasty stain behind. Stubborn wax can usually be removed using a combination of household items.

Steps

Using a Butter Knife

  1. Don’t put water on the wax. Water will only make it worse. It will keep the wax from drying and allow it to sink deeper into the carpet fibers.
  2. Put some ice cubes in a plastic bag. You will use these to cool the ice but you want to make sure you don’t get the wax wet. Using a plastic bag will keep moisture from leaking into the wax which can prevent it from drying.[1]
  3. Rub the wax with the ice cube. Do this until the wax is cooled completely and no longer soft.[2]
    • If you need a little extra strength you can use wart freezing spray. This can be found at most local drug stores. Simply spray it over the wax and let it harden.
  4. Scrape the wax away with a butter knife.[3]Place the side of the blade towards the carpet and gently pull towards you and up. Be careful not to saw at the carpet fibers as they may fray. Do this a few times to ensure you've gotten rid of as much wax as possible with the knife.
    • Using a dull blade lessens the chance of permanent damage (such as fraying) to your carpet
  5. Vacuum the wax chunks. Wax will flake away under the butter knife. To ensure the wax flakes don't stray and become a problem again, vacuum them immediately.

Using an Iron

  1. Heat up an iron.You should put the iron on the lowest setting, no steam setting. The low setting will lessen the chance of scorching the carpet and it's important that there's no steam. This way the moisture won't melt the wax back into the carpet. [3]
    • Practice ironing on an old shirt if you've never used one before. This will ensure you do not scorch your carpet.
    • If you don’t have an iron, you can use a hair dryer.[4]
  2. Use a barrier to transfer the wax. Barriers should be white cloths, white paper towels, cardboard, or paper bags.[4]
    • Don't use paper bags or cardboard with print on them. The ink may transfer and stain the carpet.
  3. Place the barrier over the remaining wax. The barrier should be clean and should cover the entire stain.
  4. Place the iron over the barrier. Gently press the preheated iron over your barrier of choice and begin moving the iron in a circular motion. The wax underneath the barrier will begin to melt and transfer itself to the barrier.[5]
    • Never let the iron sit still for long while face down as it may burn the carpet.
  5. Iron over the barrier as necessary until the wax is gone. This may need to be done several times depending on how much wax has been spilt.
    • Have extra cloths, towels, cardboard, or paper bags on hand.
    • Use a clean barrier each time until all the wax has been completely transferred and none remains on the carpet.
  6. Use a gentle oil to remove any remaining wax. Baby oil or vegetable oil will dissolve left over wax residue that you can then blot up with a paper towel.[4]

Removing Remaining Stains

  1. Use rubbing alcohol. Use a sparing amount of rubbing alcohol to dab at the area as you don't want it to sink deep into your carpet and loosen the fibers.[2]
  2. Rub away the stain. Use a white cloth to gently brush away the stain.
    • This may need to be done several times. You are done when no color comes away on the cloth
  3. Rinse gently. Dampen a sponge with water and clean the area using soft, circular motions.
  4. Blot dry. Use a towel to gently blot dry what you can. It's important that the area isn't soaking wet, but do not scrub the area because it will distort the fibers.[2]
  5. Dry the carpet. To begin drying you should cover the freshly wax-free area with a clean towel. Then place a weight over the towel. Let these sit overnight. The towel will absorb any remaining liquid so it doesn't settle into your carpet.[1]
  6. Remove weight and cover. Once the weight and towel have sat overnight, remove them and allow the area to air out.[2]
    • Vacuum. Once the area is aired and dried you can use a vacuum to straighten any fibers flattened by the weight to return them to normal.

Things You'll Need

  • Knife with a dull blade
  • Vacuum cleaner with hose or hand held vacuum
  • White cloth, white paper towels, cardboard, or unmarked paper bag
  • Iron
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Spray bottle with water
  • Sponge
  • 2 clean towels
  • A heavy weight (exercise weight, heavy books, sandbags, etc.)
  • Optional: Wart Freezing Spray or ice cubes

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a16113/stains-candle-wax-may07/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-remove-wax-from-carpet/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.wisegeek.org/how-do-i-remove-wax-from-carpet.htm
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 http://www.waxaway.com.au/faqs/
  5. ↑ http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,20224251-4,00.html
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