How to Remove Candle Wax From a Lace Tablecloth
Formal occasions and holidays often lead to elaborate centerpieces with candles. Although candles add ambiance to a table, wax drips on tablecloths often inevitably accompany the display.
Removing candle wax from lace tablecloths is a manageable task, but is best done as soon as possible to avoid grease stains from the wax oil. The power of heat and ice combine to remove wax from a lace tablecloth.
-
Freeze the candle wax on top of the lace tablecloth with ice cubes by placing ice cubes on the candle wax and leaving there until the wax freezes. When the wax becomes brittle, remove the ice.
-
Use a plastic knife to scrape as much wax as possible from the lace tablecloth. Take care not to snag any of the lace fibers and rip the lace.
-
Place the lace tablecloth on top of an ironing board and arrange the tablecloth so that the wax spot and wax remnants are prominently displayed.
-
Place a brown paper bag over the wax stain and set the iron on a medium setting.
-
Iron, with a back-and-forth motion, on top of the brown paper back, blotting the wax stain with the bag until all of the wax has melted and been absorbed by the bag. Change to a different area of the bag if the paper becomes saturated with wax.
-
Wash and dry the lace tablecloth as you would normally to remove any trace amounts of the candle wax stain.
Things You Will Need
- Ice
- Plastic knife
- Brown paper bag
- Iron
- Ironing board
Tip
If you don’t have a brown paper lunch bag, brown craft paper will work, as will newspaper. Take caution when using newspaper on a white or light-colored lace tablecloth, however, because the newsprint can cook off from the newspaper onto your tablecloth. Cut a brown paper grocery bag down to smaller squares if the grocery bag is all you have and seems to unwieldy to use to blot the wax from the lace tablecloth.
Warning
Take caution while operating an iron, as irons can cause burns. Always iron in a low-traffic area because children and pets may injure themselves by pulling the iron from the ironing board by the ironing cord, or trip over the ironing cord, pulling the iron from the ironing board and burning themselves.
References
Writer Bio
Louise Harding holds a B.A. in English language arts and is a licensed teacher. Harding is a professional fiction writer. She is mother to four children, two adopted internationally, and has had small businesses involving sewing and crafting for children and the home. Harding's frugal domestic skills help readers save money around the home.
Photo Credits
- Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
- Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
More Articles
