Cleaning Candle Wax

"You May be a Pagan if . . .you own clothes that look like Renaissance Fair or Faery Festival garb--in fact, they look like you've worn them a lot, and they have candle wax drippings on them." --You may be Pagan if . . .

Anyone who frequently burns candles will inevitably get little bits of wax residue on clothes, tablecloths, altarcloths, tabletops, candleholders, candle snuffers, etc. Eventually, this wax needs to be cleaned off.

The suggestions below are from Barbara Gent and Betty Sturges, The Altar Guild Book, (1982). It's in the section, "Suggestions for removal of common stains." (I understand there is a new version out.)

Candlewax

On wood or stone: Sofen the wax with a hair dryer, wipe off with a paper towel, rince the wood or stone with a solution of vinrgar and water. Scraping will scratch.
On unlacquered brass and other metals: Pour boiling water over the article or immerse the article in it and swirl. Wipe the article immediately with a paper towel. Repeat if necessary. Use a separate bowl so waxy water will not clog the sink drain.
On lacquered brass and other metal: Use the hair dryer method, but do not rince with vinegar.
On linen: Remove excess wax by scapting the article gently with a dull implement like the back of a knife. Pour a small amount of turpentine onto the spot , then wash with soap and water. The odor will dissipate and the residual stain should disappear. Or, place the spot in a sandwhich of white botters or brown paper (not paper towels) and iron it with a moderately hot iron. The wax will will be absorbed into the blotters.Repeat with freash blotters if nessesary. Sponge any resdual stain with alcohol or salt or lemon juice or detergent or a comercial degreaser and wash.
On cloth other than linen: The blotting paper and iron method works on many materials, but not all. Proceed with care, and in doubt, consult a dry-cleaner.
On carpets: Use the blotting paper and iron method and sponge any residual stain with cleaning fluid.

--Barbara Gent and Betty Sturges, The Altar Guild Book, (1982) p 83.
Cleaning candle holders depends on material. Rinsing in very hot water and wiping with paper towels is effective in most instances, except on lacaquered metal. Too much polishing is not good for brass or silver according to reliable metal workers. Polishing two or three times a year is sufficient, maintaining shine in the interim by rubbing with soft cloth or teated polishing gloves.
--Barbara Gent and Betty Sturges, The Altar Guild Book, (1982) p 22.

I remember using directions from the warm iron and paper bit to get wax out of garb from a Hints from Heloise book.

When washing something theat has bits of wax on it, wash in a separate bowl or basin. Do NOT pour/run the water down the drain. Dump the water outside. You do NOT want little bits of wax building up in your drain. Draino does NOT disolve wax cloging the drain.I speak from experience. (Dump the water outside on your grass.)

Wander down to you local library and ask the reference librarian at the information desk for books on cleaning wax stains and spills.

November 2010 Myth Woodling

Candle Burning
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