In this article, we’re going to take a look at how you can remove wax from your hardwood floors. We’ll look at removing both a protective floor wax and removing candle wax too, in case you were confused as to what sort of wax we’re talking about.
Hardwood floors are often coated in wax in order to protect the wood floors from things like moisture, spills, and scratches. This wax can naturally build up over time, making the floor appear less shiny and a little dull.
When this happens, it’s time to remove the wax before refinishing or re-waxing the wood floor again. Removing wax from hardwood floors is a pretty straightforward process.
You Will Need
Soft-bristled broom and dustpan
Mineral spirits
Microfiber cloth
Clean cloth
Fine steel wool
Bucket
Knee pads
Rubber gloves
Technique
Let’s go through how to remove all the surface wax from your hardwood floors step by step.
Use the soft-bristled broom to thoroughly sweep the wood floor to remove any loose dirt and other debris from the wood surface.
Use a damp, clean cloth to rid the wood floor of any dirt or grime
Pour a little mineral spirit directly onto a section of the wood floor. Rub this section with a cloth in the same direction as the wood grain on the wooden floor. This should remove the wax buildup from the hardwood floor. This will create a yellow residue on the cloth.
On any part of the hardwood floor that has a very heavy wax build-up, use some fine steel wool to scrub the floor with a generous amount of mineral spirit. This should remove any remaining wax.
Clean off any remaining residue and wax from the wood surface with a dry cloth or an old towel. You could also use some paper towels to remove additional residue.
Finally, once the entire floor is completely removed of excess wax, including the wood’s pores and deep grooves in the wood, mop the floor using warm water and a damp cloth to wipe down the affected area and remove any additional residue. Allow the entire floor to dry completely before sanding and re-finishing or re-waxing your hardwood floors. All the wax residue must be removed before proceeding to refinish or sand the floor.
Next, let’s take a look at how to remove candle wax from wood floors. Spilling melted candle wax on any surface can be super annoying and a little difficult to clean up, but fortunately, the best and easiest surface to clean up a waxy mess is a hardwood floor.
Removing Candle Wax From A Hardwood Floor
There are a few different methods of removing candle wax from wood or wax stains from a wooden floor. Let’s go through a couple of these methods.
If the wax isn’t cleaned up sufficiently, it can ruin the appearance of your hardwood floor. To remove candle wax from your hardwood floors, please follow the steps one of the methods below.
Heating
This method involves applying heat to the candle wax to melt it, returning it to its liquid form. It can be easier to remove candle wax when it is melted rather than when it is dry and hard. The easiest way to melt the candle wax is to apply heat to it with either an iron or hair dryer.
If using the iron method, you will also need a brown paper bag, a paper towel, or an old towel.
Firstly, cover the affected area with a paper bag, paper towel, or old towel. Then apply the warm iron to the paper bag or paper towel as if you were ironing it normally.
Make sure to use your iron on medium heat and do not let the iron sit on one area for too long. This is to avoid scorching the wood.
The paper towels or brown paper bag should soak up the candle wax after the wax softens. If there is any yellow residue remaining on the wood, buff the affected area using some furniture wax, olive oil, or baby oil.
If you decide to remove candle wax from the wooden floor using a hair dryer, it’s largely the same method as the warm iron method. Run the hair dryer along the candle wax to melt it.
The heat from the blow dryer should be enough to soften the candle wax, making it easier to remove. You can use the blow dryer on maximum heat rather than its medium setting without worrying too much about scorching your hardwood floor.
Freezing Or Cooling
Another method to help remove candle wax from wood floors is to cool the wax rather than using heat. This might be your preferred method if you’re concerned that using heat may cause damage to your hardwood floors.
The easiest way to do this is to apply ice to the candle wax. Hardening the wax rather than softening it may be easier in some situations to remove the wax from wood floors.
To do this method, place an ice cube or a few ice cubes into a plastic bag. Next, place the plastic bag containing ice onto the wax. Let the ice sit on the wax for around 15 minutes. This will harden the wax, making it more brittle and therefore easier to remove.
Once the wax has fully solidified, you can use a plastic ruler or a plastic spatula to gently scrape off the wax. The candle wax should be able to be chipped away once it is fully cooled.
It’s important to use a plastic spatula or other plastic tool and scrape gently to avoid causing scratches or damage to your hardwood floor.
Conclusion
We hope that you’ve found this article helpful and we hope that you’ve successfully managed to remove the wax stains from your hardwood floor.
Wax stain can be notoriously difficult to remove, so if you’ve tried our methods and are having no luck, you may wish to try commercial wax removal products.
If you decide to go this route, we recommend following the manufacturer’s instructions carefully before using it. A clean magic eraser may be a good product to wipe down the floor after cleaning up the wax.
You may notice more yellow residue coming up from the floor from the waxy mess. This may be more effective than using a paper towel.
