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How to Get Candle Wax off Wall

Spill candle wax on your walls? We’ll show you how to safely remove candle wax from your painted plaster or sheetrock walls.

More from Clorox experts

Whether from a splattered candle or spilled at-home spa treatment, you might find yourself with a wax mess on your hands – or walls. We’ll show you how to safely remove candle wax from your painted plaster or sheetrock walls so they can get back to looking good as new. 

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What you need

Steps to remove candle wax from walls

  1. 1

    Remove excess wax

    If your wall is painted plaster, scrape away excess wax with a plastic spoon. If, however, your wall is painted sheetrock, proceed with caution as sheetrock is more easily damaged than plaster. 

      

  2. 2

    Heat iron

    Plug in your iron, using the extension cord if needed, and select the lowest temperature setting. 

    Tip

    Make sure you have a place to safely set the iron while you are working so you don’t damage a tabletop or your floor.

  3. 3

    Prepare paper bag

    While you wait for the iron to heat up, cut open the brown paper bag so that it is one flat, unfolded piece. 

  4. 4

    Apply iron

    When the iron is hot, hold the brown bag over the wax and gently press the iron over it in a circular motion. Dark spots will appear on the bag where the wax is melting and absorbing onto the paper. 

    Tip

    Don’t let the iron rest in one place for more than a few seconds to avoid scorching the wall, just as you would want to avoid scorching fabric.

  5. 5

    Repeat as necessary

    Reposition the bag so you can absorb more wax, repeating until no more wax transfers to the bag. 

  6. 6

    Clean remaining residue

    Hold Clorox® Scentiva Disinfecting Multi-Purpose Spray Cleaner 6-8 inches from the wall and spray. Wipe clean with a paper towel or microfiber cloth to remove any remaining wax residue on the wall. 

Frequently asked questions

How do you remove wax from wallpaper?

To avoid damaging wallpaper by exposing it to the heat of an iron, test first in an inconspicuous area to make sure you can safely use an iron on the wallpaper. If you see any discoloration or loosening of the adhesive, you may need to patch the wallpaper instead of removing the stain.