Red, green, white, or striped – candles are the perfect touch to make your Minnesota holiday décor extra festive. They look beautiful on your mantel, table, or placed around your home. But, when hot candle wax drips onto your hardwood flooring, it can be a real pain to remove without damaging the finish or the wood itself.
So, what happens when candle wax gets onto your hardwood floors, and what can you do to remove it? Follow the tips from the pros at Dave’s Floor Sanding & Installation – we’re your Minnesota hardwood flooring experts with the right tips for cleaning anything off your floors.
Some of the Best DIY Options For Candle Wax Removal From Hardwood Flooring
If you see the drips right away, you may be able to wipe the warm wax up with a clean towel. But, sometimes, the drips accumulate over time and harden into a messy pile. If the wax has already started to cool, it may be easier to scrape it off once it’s fully hardened. You can use ice cubes to harden the wax until it’s solid, then gently try to remove the the hardened wax with a credit card, plastic ruler, or other dull non-metal flat object.
Don’t use a butter knife or other metal object to scrape off the candle wax, as it could scrape away the finish or varnish on your hardwood flooring. If you aren’t sure if the scraper you plan to use will damage the floors, give the pros at Dave’s a call first – we can help with all your wax removal questions and give you advice on what not to do to avoid damaging your flooring.
If scraping the wax away doesn’t work, you can try re-melting it and wiping it away with a clean, damp cloth. Aim a hairdryer set to medium heat at the wax, keeping it about 12″ away from the spill. The heat softens the wax so that you can more easily scrape it away. Also, you can try wrapping your plastic scraper in a thin cloth or paper towel if you’re worried about damaging the finish of older hardwood flooring.
Do Not Use Chemicals to Remove Candle Wax From Hardwood Flooring
Although you may use specialty chemical cleaners to keep your hardwood floors clean and looking nice, the chemical floor cleaner you regularly use or to remove stains won’t work on candle wax. And, never use any other type of chemical on the wax – don’t try to dissolve it because you’ll ruin the finish and likely the wood below.
When Nothing Else Works, Schedule a Hardwood Flooring Refinishing From Dave’s!
If you can’t get the candle wax stains off your hardwood floors, or if they’re in a pretty visible location, we can help. Dave’s Floor Sanding & Installation offers complete hardwood flooring refinishing and repair of damaged areas. We assess the problem and then match your current floors with regard to the finish and color.
Don’t fret about holiday damage to your floors – call us today for a refresh of your hardwood floors.