Carpet Cleaning Woes: Wax Removal

A common problem for many residents is the removal of wax from interior home carpeting (which is hardly surprising). Given the consistency of the substance, removing it may seem like one of the more difficult tasks involved in carpet cleaning, but there actually is a way to solve the problem.

Many homeowners love candles, which can be used to create vibes of romance, or lovely fragrances which perfume a room. Candles are notorious, however, for creating difficult to remove puddles of wax when spilled on carpeting. The wax can attach itself to the carpet fibers as it hardens, making a difficult task out of carpet cleaning. Removing the wax from the carpet can be hazardous to the carpet itself, and since it is a difficult task, spilling wax may inspire residents to call a professional arpet cleaning company to solve the problem.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, as in most places, it is important when locating a professional to verify their expertise. Carpet cleaning "deals" and low priced carpet cleaning ads can be misleading, and often companies send out employees who are less experienced with the task at hand than the resident. Though it may be slightly more costly to hire a reliable professional, the results will always be worth the price tag.

Even so, this carpet cleaning task is not one that can't be tackled by the home owner, and there is a common, safe, and fairly foolproof manner in which to remove the wax. What is needed is a high quality and very absorbent roll of paper towels, and an iron.

First, pick away whatever amount of the wax that can be removed without pulling out any of the carpet fibers in order to remove the excess wax. This is a step in the carpet cleaning process that must be done very carefully, because pulling any of the fibers can result in runs, which are comparable to runs in ladies' nylon pantyhose.

After removing the excess wax from the carpet, lay a paper towel over the wax spot on the carpet. Preheat the iron at a medium-warm setting - don't make it too hot, as patience is a part of carpet cleaning task at hand. By using a hot iron in an attempt to speed up the process, it would be easy to singe the carpet fibers and worsen the wax problem.

When the iron is warm, move it slowly and carefully over the problem area. The purpose is to heat the wax and allow it to be absorbed by the paper towel. The wax will be visible on the towel as it begins to stick to it. Many carpet cleaning professionals also recommend using an actual towel (one that is no longer in use) for this process. But for all intensive purposes, a paper towel will do the job just as well.

Colored wax may leave a bit of a stain on the carpet, but most quality carpet cleaning solutions will be able to remove the color left behind on the carpet. It's important to test cleaning solutions before using them on the carpet itself, which is why it is a good idea to keep a small square of carpet around for this purpose.