How To Remove Candle Oil Stain On Fabric

Whether it's from a dripping candle or a spill, candle wax on fabric can leave a noticeable stain. Most candles contain paraffin wax, a petroleum oil product found naturally in the Earth. These oils can leach into the fabric, leaving an oily stain behind. In some cases, dye from the candle wax may also absorb into the fabric. Candle wax oil stains on your favorite fabrics require careful removal to prevent further staining.

Step 1

Remove any traces of the candle wax itself before focusing on the oil stain. The best way to do this is to fold the fabric and place it in the freezer overnight. The chill of the freezer will harden any attached candle wax making it easy to remove.

Step 2

Remove the fabric in the morning and lay it on a flat surface. Pick off the loose, hardened wax using your fingers.

Step 3

Dampen a sponge with dry cleaning solvent. Dab the sponge over the area that contains the candle wax oil stain.

Step 4

Place a white paper towel over the oil stain. Place a warm iron — no steam, lowest setting — over the paper towel and press the stained area, running the iron back and forth for 10-second intervals.

Step 5

Lift the paper towel to see if the oil stain remains. If it does, replace the paper towel with another and iron again. The idea is for the oil stain to transfer from the fabric to the paper towel.

Step 6

Continue ironing until no hint of the oil stain remains. Treat the area with a pre-wash stain remover, according to the instructions printed on the packaging label. Launder the fabric as you normally would.