Last night the Mother In Law dripped hot candle wax on to the front of my TEAC floor standing speakers. The fronts come off and the material is like 'thick stockings'. Anybody got any ideas on how to remove it without damaging the material. I did think a hairdryer but the heat may be too fierce, or hot water, does anybody know the melting point of candle wax?
TIA
John
Try hard freezing that should make it more brittle,melting does not sound a good ides to me,if it does not work on the covers, it will definately work on the mother in law
traditional remedy is to iron it off using absorbant paper
The standard way to get it off clothing is to use a warm iron with brown paper between the clothing and iron. The iron melts the wax - which is then absorbed by the brown paper. It *might* work with speaker fronts - but only if can support them adequately on a flat surface. [I assume that there's some sort of frame which would prevent the fabric from going down flat onto an ironing board?] Maybe you could put a folded towel or something similar underneath it.
the standard way to get wax out of material is to cover the waxed area with brown paper and iron on top of it, the melted wax will be absorbed by the brown paper. but i'm not sure i would risk that on my speaker fronts. maybe use lots of layers of paper and a low iron setting.
"MiniEmma" wrote in news:bt1uqa$8rn$ snipped-for-privacy@hercules.btinternet.com:
Just to issue a note of caution about this ironing out wax idea. I tried it with my carpet and stuck the iron to the carpet. I moved the sofa forward to cover the melted bit (in the shape of a hotplate) but the iron went in the bin. Just be careful!
john
VERY good point, i have done the same myself but had, until now, forgotten
make sure all surrounding surfaces are covered and that the iron never comes into direct contact with your speaker front!
>Had a similar problem with our speakers when the missus put a candle on one and it dripped right down the front of it.
I popped off the cover and held it under the hot tap which melted the wax enough to wash it away sucessfully. ( a little light brushing was required to agitate the more stuborn bits )
hth, Jon
Depends on the quality of the 'wax'. I doubt that it will be beeswax so will be any one of a variety of solid paraffins or stearin.
The melting point isn't important, as others have suggested use an iron with paper between the sole plate and the item. But start on a very low temperature setting on the iron and only slowly raise it.
Recently I spilled tallow all over the landing carpet and found that unprinted newspaper was extremely effective in absorbing the tallow. Some brown papers are glazed, you need an untreated paper for best effect. It might even be a good idea to use more than one layer, removing the lower one as it absorbs the wax.
Mary
Wax melts somewhere in the range 60-70 degrees C if my memory is correct.
Never place the iron directly onto a material which doesn't have a ironing label and you are unsure of. Although brown paper is the traditional remedy it's much better to use kitchen paper these days. Put it on both sides of the speaker material and use the lowest iron setting. Candle wax melts at a low point. Change the paper a few times to make sure you blot it all. Good luck.
"MiniEmma" wrote in news:bt2302$8la$ snipped-for-privacy@titan.btinternet.com:
It was incredibly stupid of me I know and I haven't lit a candle in the many years since but... The reason I was trying to get wax out of the carpet was because I put a candle in one of those little /plastic/ jugs you use to fill an iron with water. I don't know what I was thinking. I went into the kitchen to talk to my mate. After a bit I noticed I could smell burning plastic. It took a few seconds for me to realise. Racing back into the living room I found that the plastic jug had gone up in flames along with the antique, veneered wooden display cabinet it was stood on. I managed to put the flames out but there's now a large burnt area on the top of the cabinet and the wax and plastic has ran down the front, leaving a mark. It was a family piece of furniture that had been entrusted to my care, so I had some explaining to do.
Moral - be extra, extra careful with candles!
john
I know it's against the spirit of DIY, but... a French polisher will be able to sort that out. If you're anywhere near Essex I can recommend a superb bloke, who has worked miracles on a couple of pieces of mine.
A man I know did exactly the same thing. I'm very pleased about it because up to now you'd think it was only women who had accidents with candles!
As a (beeswax) candle maker I'd endorse that but they really aren't dangerous in themselves - only when abused. The only accident I've had with a candle - in a long life - was when I allowed one to burn right down in a wooden candleholder. The smell of burning wood alerted me. You only do something like that once.
I still use the candleholder.
Mary
aka "distressing".
In both senses.
Ben Blaney wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
It needs a few new layers of veneer, then a polish. I just put a stack of paperwork over it :) I guess some day I'll be brave and find out the cost. Not that I can afford anything at the mo.
john (in Leeds - city, not village)
The message from "Chris Oates" contains these words:
Be very careful if you choose this method! I managed to burn part of my sitting room carpet, while attempting to remove candle wax!
The message from Sneezy contains these words:
Oops! I did the same, through four sheets of kitchen paper!
Wax softens at water boiling pount, but warm washing won't shift it.
I'd suggest first of all soaking in a warm organic solvent - white spirit may indeed work well, followed by dropping in a basin of detergent of some sort.
If the covers can't be removed for washing, try gently dabbing with absorbent paper and cellulose thinners.
Yeah, and I've got patches of stripped varnish on the dining table from doing this last year.
Solvent is an alternative on surfaces that can't take heat.
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