Hello AT,
I have a pottery barn reindeer candleholder like this one. How do I remove the wax that I was apparently too lazy to remove last Christmas? Thanks for any suggestions.
Thanks, Robin
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Dear Robin,
SKGR, our resident wax expert says it's pretty straightforward. You need to warm the whole thing up in water and then scrape it out. Really hot water will get out the big stuff and then you can wipe out the final film. It does require ELBOW GREASE of course.
If you put a tiny bit of water in the cup under your new votive, you may also find that the wax won't stick so much.
On a side note, how many people share our frustration with decorative candleholders in that they are so much harder to clean out than simple glass votives? This one isn't so bad, as we've seen far worse where the candle holes allow the wax to go down so deep it really does become nearly impossible to get it all out.
Anyone?
Normally, I put the offending candleholder in the freezer until the wax becomes so brittle it just chips away with a fingernail or a spoon. I'm not sure this is good for anything with a decorative finish.
With something so large, how about putting it out on the fire escape?
Huh, I do the opposite... i think it works better to stick it in the freezer over night, the stuff usually gets really brittle and just breaks off.
I hate cleaning wax from candelholders -- that's why I typically use tealights (reason enough to go to Ikea!) Several years ago, they sold very small glass holders that were the same size as the little metal cups tealights -- I would have bought lots more if I had known they wouldn't keep them on the shelves.
I agree with SK's hot water technique, but many argue that freezing the object makes it wasy to break off wax chunks. I have found this can get a lot of the work started, then finish with the hot water trick. Depending on the material, be sure to let it warm up gently before going to the hot water extreme, otherwise the holder might shatter.
metal kabob stick for the deep ones---heat it up and start picking. my favorite job as a kid before hanukkah!
Freezer, definitely. If too big to fit, ice it with ice cubes.
Wonder if you could spray it with Pam before use this year?
I saw this tip on Marthastewart.com , I'm not sure if reposting this is a no no. But here goes.
The picture shows a can of PAM.
Candle Cleanup
After a candle has been burnt out, removing the wax residue from the candleholder can pose a problem. If youve used a votive candleholder, place it in the freezer for several hours and simply pop the leftover wax out or tap the bottom while holding it upside down. Wash off any remaining smears of wax with warm, soapy water. For silver or brass candlestick holders, its best to take preemptive action. Before inserting a candle, use a cotton swab to grease the inside of the candleholder and the bottom of the candle. If wax lands on a tabletop, use the edge of a spatula or credit card to scrape it off, wiping away any residue with a soft cloth.
I heard that you could warm it up with a hair dryer. the wax should soften and then come off.
For particular stubborn areas, I've had to insert a toothpick or straight pin warmed in hot water to get it deep into the wax, THEN freeze the whole thing. The embedded pick (usually) acts like a little popsicle handle.
The frozen methods DEFINITELY yield a quicker, cleaner clean-up.
As a preventative measure, I put salt in the bottom of candle holders. I also pour some under the metal tealight holders to prevent the spilled wax that happens from them being bumped or sprayed when you blow the candles out.
For a pretty winter effect that mimics snow, try the larger crushed rock salt in a bowl with small votives or pillars.
Sometimes I avoid the wax candles altogether and buy these liquid paraffin cartridges. These work best in a lantern or hurricane type holder, where you see the flame but not the candle itself. http://www.candleland.com/oilcartridges-c-65.html?zenid=9d78434cc340e7e13c8a1c22eb7b0026
a hair dryer always works for me! the wax either becomes liquid and then you can mop it up or it evaporates if it's a small amount.
put it in the freezer and then when the wax freezes it will just come off easily.
Another endorsement for the freezer method. Much cleaner and little residue.
However, I seem to recall a time, not so long ago, when you could buy candles that actually burned cleanly and completely. Without dripping all over the place.
Am I just making this up (I can do that sometimes) or did this dream candle really exist?
Add me to the hairdryer endorsement list -- it works like a charm, is quicker than freezing, and doesn't require clearing out space in my freezer.
Put that crazy antler thingy on its side in the oven on it's lowest setting with a piece of foil underneath in the shape of a tray, wait a few minutes until all the wax has melted out, remove and towel off the unit. Let the wax cool on the tray until you can peel it off, then recycle the foil.
The freezer method works...take it from someone who sold candles!
I've done the ice thing and the hot thing. When I'm cleaning out my glass votive candleholders and just want to get the wax residue and soot off, I use a non-scratch sponge and hot water and dish detergent. But, if it is a glob, the chilling, picking off thing works best. If you get it on fabrics like a tablecloth, you can do the ice cube thing, but for the wax that may have made its way into the fabric, you can put a cloth on either side and use a warm iron to press it out (that was a Martha stewart suggestion I read once--I've never tried it).
My mother says to pour boiling water on it. I tried it this year to clean up my candlesticks and it worked like a charm -- the wax just slid right off.
Ah - easy for candleholders, but does anyone have a solution for tablecloths? My big tablecloth was (apparently) ruined by a pretty sizable spill of mauve candle wax. God, I so hate mauve to begin with too...
I've used freezing and it does work, but my favourite method is leaving it under the hottest running water I can manage until the wax is gone. Not environmentally friendly though, I suppose.
For wax tablecloths, you can also use the "batique" method to get wax out if the material will allow it (should be OK for most natural fiber weaves--nothing synthetic or velvet): Put a plastic cover on your ironing board. Put a thin smooth blanket over it. Put several pieces of white paper on the blanket, then lay on the tablecloth waxy area, more pieces of white paper, and apply a very warm iron that you may not mind parting with if need be. Keep doing this, changing the paper closest to the tablecloth frequently, until the wax is all melted off onto the paper. Lastly, you can then pour boiling water over the area if the material will allow. DO NOT use any type of colored or inked paper; it can run into the cloth. If you get wax on your iron, turn up the heat and wipe it off as the wax melts (BE CAREFUL!).