Candles are a diverse home accessory that can create a desired ambiance, conjur festive aromas, and add natural warmth to a room. Most importantly – they’re a key accessory to any holiday tablescape.  When candles drip, they can cause irritating wax stains and ruin your beloved table linens. To avoid long term damage, follow these steps to remove candle wax from your tablecloth.

How to Remove Candle Wax From Your Tablecloth

If your tablecloth is dry clean only, allow the wax to cool and harden. Grab a dull knife or credit card and gently scrape away any excess wax. Place your tablecloth in your laundry hamper or dry cleaning bag, and seek a professional’s help as soon as possible. At Gibson’s we supply all our regular GTA customers with two VIP express laundry bags which makes it easy to collect and drop off items in need of cleaning. For best results, let your dry cleaner know the stain is wax. This will ensure they use the proper stain agents. 

If Your Tablecloth is Washable: 

Step 1: Similar to a dry clean only tablecloth, let the wax harden and scrape it away with a dull knife.

Step 2: Treat the oil or petroleum based stain with an enzymatic detergent. If you don’t have this type of product in your pantry, you can use a laundry detergent like Tide. Use a small amount and work the product into the stained area using a clean toothbrush.

Step 3: Allow the detergent to sit on the fabric for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse the area with hot water.

Step 4: Wash the tablecloth using your machine’s hottest water setting.  Before drying, inspect your tablecloth to ensure the stain has been removed. If you dry the tablecloth with a lingering stain it will only set the stain further into the fabric.

Step 5: Dry as normal by hanging, ironing, or using your dryer.

To store your clean tablecloth, fold it over a hanger and put it in a cool and dry place. At Gibson’s we always recommend cleaning your table linens after the holidays so they’re ready to use at your next  celebration.

In a hurry this holiday season? Take advantage of Gibson’s pick up and delivery dry cleaning service. We pick up and deliver tablecloths and other dry clean only items across the Greater Toronto Area. Our service area include Toronto, Etobicoke, Brampton, Oakville, Mississauga, and Burlington.