How to Remove Wax from Floors

Whether you recently waxed your floors or you’ve spilled some scented wax, this can be a tough material to remove. Removing the wax mainly depends on the kind of wax and flooring you have. Below we’ll share with you some tips on how to remove wax from a variety of floors without fear of damage, stains, or discoloration.

Removing Wax from Hardwood Floors

Waxing hardwood floors is a common practice to keep them shiny, buffed, and damage free. Of course, if this leftover wax gets stuck or hot wax is spilled on wood, it should be cleaned off as quickly as possible to prevent damage or discoloration. Thankfully wood floors are one of the easiest materials to remove wax from. Resist the urge to immediately remove the hot wax; unlike some other kinds stains you don’t have to catch it “fresh.” Let the wax cool and dry thoroughly before attempting removal. To speed up the drying of the wax, place some ice on the wax for about two minutes until it becomes completely hard.

After the wax has hardened and is totally dried, use a thin item that can easily scrape the wax off the floor without damaging it such as a credit card, plastic knife, or professional scraper that can be found at a hardware, paint, or homegoods store. Make sure you don’t apply too much pressure when scraping the wax off to avoid scratching or damaging the floor. If you’re still having trouble, repeat the former steps as necessary and put a bit more ice on top of the wax until you successfully remove it all. Once the wax is removed, wipe the spot clean with a cloth. Avoid hard scrubbing or heavy chemicals as these can be aggressive on your floors.

Removing Wax from Vinyl & Tile Floors

Thankfully, most vinyl flooring is extremely durable and pretty easy to wipe up a variety of materials from. Removing wax from vinyl and tile floors is also pretty easy. You can use the same method of freezing the wax and scraping with a card as you would for hardwood floors. Another method for tile floors is to simply wipe up the spot with isopropyl alcohol or another non-abrasive cleaning product. Make sure to blot the wax rather than harshly wipe, as this can spread the wax leaving residue on the floors. If you catch the wax still wet, you can lay down a cloth or paper towel to soak it up.

Removing Wax from Carpet Floors

Removing wax from carpets may seem like a tricky situation but it is actually easier than you think – although it requires a bit of a different solution than the situations above. Removing wax from a carpet requires a few more supplies as well. You will need an iron and a thin cloth, rag, or paper. Carpets are more likely to hold on to stains and wax as the fabric makes it a bit easier for residue to stick to. Below we have listed the proper steps for this easy technique to help you get rid of wax from carpets.

1. Place the paper, cloth, or rag over the spot of wax. Place your iron on top of the rag or paper on low temperature, making sure there’s no steam.
2. Hold the iron in place and slowly pull the paper from the iron. The paper should start to absorb the wax.
3. Repeat as necessary until the wax is removed from the carpet.

What to Do If You Over-Wax Your Floors

While spills with hot wax happen, there’s also the issue of over-waxing your floors. If this happens, don’t panic! It may take a minute, but the wax won’t be there forever if you take the proper steps. If there are any visible clumps or pieces of residue you can easily wipe this up with a plastic scraper or credit card. Just remember to scrape gently to avoid damaging your floors. Using a warm, damp cloth and letting it sit on top of the area that was over waxed for a few minutes will help soften the wax and loosen the residue to be removed easier.

Once you remove the visible wax, use a soft cloth or buffing machine to buff the area. This will help remove excess wax while distributing the remaining wax evenly. When you get rid of all the wax, mop your floors with a non-harsh soap and dry the floors leaving them shiny and clean.

Having Problems? Get in Contact with Pro Floor Savers

If you’ve utilized the solutions above and you’re still having a tough time removing wax from your floors, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at A&D Pro Floor Savers. Our team of experts are specialists in waxing floors without leaving leftover residue. Our professional floor and carpet cleaning services will get rid of hard-to-remove wax, coffee stains, wine, blood, discoloration, and more! With years of experience serving the Bay Area, we provide professional carpet cleaning, floor restoration and more to protect your investment in your home.