Will Goo Gone remove candle wax? Yes, it will. Goo Gone will remove candle wax from just about any surface, fabric and material. Of course, how you use it will depend on the surface, how porous it is and whether or not you can toss it in the washing machine.
The most important thing to remember when spilled wax happens, is that you will get it out. It may take a little doing, but using Goo Gone is almost always a sure thing.
How to Remove Candle Wax With Goo Gone
While Goo Gone is an excellent solvent to remove candle wax and its stains, you have to approach the problem from several angles. Before you begin, make sure you gather the following items (dependent on the surface in question):
- Blow Dryer
- Brown Paper Bags (without any ink or screen printing)
- Butter or Plastic Knife
- Clothes Iron
- Dish soap
- Glass cleaner
- Goo Gone
- Hot water
- Paper towels
- Thin Cardboard Pieces (without any ink or screen printing)
To check the current price and availability of Goo Gone, click here to view the listing on Amazon.
Basic Tips
The type of surface where the wax spilled will determine how you approach the problem. As a general rule, soak up large spills when the wax is still liquid, especially where fabric comes into the equation.
With flat, hard surfaces, scrape the wax off with the butter or plastic knife as much as possible. You want to do this while ensuring you don’t damage or scratch the surface. This will be ever-so poignant with things like wood.
Wood Surfaces
To remove spilled wax from wood surfaces, allow the wax to slightly harden. Don’t allow it to get entirely hard but don’t handle it while it’s liquid. You want the wax to coagulate. This will prevent it getting into all the cracks, crevices and grain of the wood.
Removing the Wax
Then, either use your fingers or your knife and gently lift the wax away. If there’s a considerable amount of waxy residue, then use the Goo Gone.
Either pour it directly onto the surface or spray six to eight inches away from surface. Allow this to sit for five to 30 minutes, depending on how bad it is. Then, wipe it away with a clean sponge or paper towel.
Carpeting
Take the brown paper bags or thin pieces of cardboard and heat up your clothes iron on the lowest setting. In the meantime, if the wax is liquid, use some of the bags or cardboard and sop up the wax. DON’T RUB IT! Simply absorb the wax into the paper or cardboard as much as you possibly can.
Using an Iron
Once your iron is ready, place fresh bags or cardboard over the affected area and put the iron over the top. Continue to do this with fresh paper or cardboard until you no longer see wax spots on the paper.
Then, take the Goo Gone and pour it onto a clean cloth or spray it onto the carpeting. Now, rub back and forth until all the wax disappears. Take a wet sponge and wipe it down. Dry the surface with paper towels and allow a small fan to sit near the area. This will prevent mold and bacteria developing under the surface.
Clothing ; Other Fabrics
For materials like clothes, tablecloths, doilies and upholstered furniture, use a modified form of what you would do for carpeting. Sop up as much of the liquid wax as possible with paper towels. Toss the items (removable items for upholstered furniture) into the freezer for about 30 minutes.
In the meantime, turn your iron onto the lowest heat setting. Then, remove the fabric from the freezer, use the blunt-edged side of the butter or plastic knife and scrape the rest off. Next, apply the brown bag method as indicated above.
Laundry Pre-Treatment
In the case you notice stains within the fibers afterward, use a little Goo Gone as a laundry stain treatment. Before you do this, though, you want to test a tiny area of the material for color fastness. Dab a small amount in an inconspicuous place and see if any discoloration appears.
If all is well, spray a bit onto the affected area of the fabric and toss it in with a wash load. If you know the wax comprised other lipids like coconut or olive oil, then spray a little regular stain remover too.
Walls, Brick ; Other Surfaces
Goo Gone is also a great thing for surfaces that you can’t put into the washer. Always sop up any liquid wax with paper towels or brown paper bags.
For dry wall and plaster, use a blow dryer or iron to absorb as much of the wax out as possible and then apply the Goo Gone. In the case of brick, spray Goo Gone directly on the surface, allow it to sit for a few moments and use the paper bag to rub it out.
Final Thoughts
In the case of the dinner party example at the beginning, Goo Gone helps to ensure you won’t have to endure a huge upset to your evening. You can take care of the mess quickly and efficiently while keeping the festivities going.
As you can see, using Goo Gone is a perfect solution for your candle wax spills. So, there’s no need to worry about your tablecloth or expensive mahogany dining table. It will come out, it’s just going to be a little inconvenient.
So long as you take care of the problem right away, it will seem as though there was never any mishap. You just have to be judicious and smart in your approach while acting quickly.