Cleaning Question of the Day - How To Get Melted Candle Wax out of Fabric Tablecloths

We've got a very interesting cleaning question today, sent in by Sherry. Here it is:


"How can I get melted, spilled wax off a lace tablecloth? "
Thanks in advance.
Sherry

That's a fabulous question, Sherry, and a tough one. Cleaning melted candle wax is always a very UN-fun cleaning chore. I was just cleaning out an old wax tart melter thingamajiggy this morning and I managed to get wax all over the kitchen sink somehow. BUT, I learned a valuable thing or two along the way. (I usually do when I do some cleaning experiments.) I'll share those things TO DO with all of you guys.

:) Okay, so here's what I suggest - it's a three step process, and since it's a lace tablecloth, you'll need to be extra careful with it, as it's likely fragile.

1. Freeze off all the ice you can - fill a baggie with some ice cubes and apply to the fabric and pick off as much of the wax as you possibly can. This gets rid of the majority of the wax, and leaves you with less mess to cope with.
2. Put the fabric (tablecloth) onto a heat-safe surface, and put some paper towels beneath it; enough to soak up the leftover wax as it melts away. Use either a hairdryer or an iron on low and press against the fabric. The wax will melt, and it'll get soaked up by the paper towels underneath.
3. Then you should be able to launder the tablecloth as usual.

Hope this helps, Sherry! If anyone else has any no-fail cleaning tips on how to clean up spilt wax, then please do the Happy Slob thing and send it in to me to share with everyone! christina@happyslob.com