Werner Braun: Removing wax from carpet

Theres nothing like a beautifully decorated holiday table, lit by soft candles, to set a festive mood during Christmas, Hanukkah and New Years celebrations.

But theres not much to be said for the kind of mood that comes about when candle wax seeps into the carpet.

Candle wax is definitely a challenge to remove from carpet? Why?

Well, candle wax, the most common type of wax that gets spilled on carpet, is hard to remove primarily because the high heat of the candle causes the wax to spread out during the spill. Plus, the color of the candle wax is rarely a perfect match or even a good blend for our carpeted floors.

Other types of waxes, like those used in polishes, cosmetics and cooking that often find their way onto our household textiles, are usually easier to remove with extraction and dry solvents.

Waxes are derived from many different sources, including beehives, petroleum products, plants and animals.

Most of the waxes used in candles come from petroleum by-products, usually called paraffin wax. Paraffin wax typically melts slowly, which is a plus for our holiday candles as they can last for hours, if not days.

Many of our carpet fibers are comprised of olefin and/or polyester, and those particular fibers are oil-loving in nature. So, when anything petroleum-based, like candle wax, comes in contact with those types of fibers, an unfortunate marriage takes place.

Nylon carpets are somewhat more forgiving when it comes to the waxy part of a spill, but wool carpets fare much worse and are often considered nightmarish when it comes to removing wax. But as with most things in life, with a little perseverance, that nightmare will go away.

To remove wax, most carpet cleaners use hot water extraction with very high heat, extracting the wax with chop strokes, short forward and backward movements of the cleaning wand.

Originally posted here:
Werner Braun: Removing wax from carpet