How to get wax off tile floor (simple cleaning guides)

How to get wax off tile floor? Getting sticky candle wax off tile floors is not a piece of cake. If you have ever faced this problem, you know it for sure. Nevertheless, what can you do to dispose of sticky wax stains on your tile floors?

Don’t panic! You don’t need any expensive and harmful chemicals to do this job. We are going to share a few simple and eco-friendly wax removal remedies that can be found in any household!

Thermal remedies

Let’s get started with the easiest methods! The thermal impact on the wax buildup can simplify your task and remove wax from tile floors with no specific solutions.

To remove candle wax buildup from the ceramic tile floor, the best idea is to heat and soften it.

However, when working with high-temperature methods, never forget to take all the necessary precautions so as not to get injured by heat.

#1. Hot water cleaning method. The first method means removing wax with hot water. Applied on the dried wax, it softens it significantly and makes it much easier to remove without any extra solutions. This method is suitable for smaller wax stains as you need to work by hand. The more floor wax you have, the more elbow grease you need to get it off the ceramic tile floors.

Hot water cleaning tips:

1. Scrape away as much dried wax as you can. The smaller amount of wax buildup is much easier to melt and remove from the ceramic tiles.
2. Mix some mild soap with a lot of hot water in the bucket. The hotter your water is, the better it works! Keep stirring the cleaning solution until it starts bubbling.
3. Equip yourself with gloves so as not to burn your hands! Then, dip a clean cloth or a sponge into the cleaning solution.
4. Start removing wax from tile floors by rubbing all the affected surfaces with a damp cloth. Rub thoroughly until all the wax residue goes off the ceramic tile floor.
5. Wash the ceramic tile floor with clean water. Then, wipe it dry with a clean dry rag or a paper towel.

#2. Hairdryer cleaning method. One more alternative method is to remove candle wax stains with the help of a hairdryer. The direct heat will melt the waxy build-up, so you can easily get it off the tile floor.

Like in the previous method, you don’t need any harsh chemicals to perform the cleaning task.

However, this cleaning method is not very efficient but quite time-consuming. You require a long time to heat and melt the candle wax with the help of a hot air stream.

Hairdryer cleaning tips:

1. Before you start heating, scrape as much wax as you can with the help of a spatula, a putty knife, or a scraper. A thin and sharp-edged item like an old credit card is also suitable. The less wax there is on the floor, the quicker you can melt and remove it.
2. Take a hairdryer and position it above the remaining floor wax. Turn it on and start heating the dried wax to soften it.
3. As soon as the wax residue is melted, scrub it off your tile floor with the help of a damp cloth.
4. If there is any wax residue remaining on the ceramic tile flooring, repeat the heating and scrubbing procedure a few more times. In other words, keep removing wax from the tile floors until you get most of the residue off the surface.
5. Now, clean the remaining wax from the tile floors with a gentle cleaning solution. Prepare a homemade cleanser or use a mild detergent to clean the tile floors from the remaining wax stains.
6. Wash the tile floors with clean water and wipe them dry.

Similarly to the hairdryer method, you can use a steam cleaner. However, be sure to use the one that is specifically intended for the ceramic tile floors. Start with a test on a small, inconspicuous area to see how it works on the ceramic tiles. If everything is okay, remove dried wax with this steam cleaner.

#3. Freezing method. The third alternative method is freezing the wax. When frozen, the candle wax stains become hard enough to chip off the ceramic tile surface.

Freeze-cleaning tips:

1. Take an ice cube and scrub it all over the candle wax stains to freeze and harden them.
2. When the wax becomes hard enough, start chipping it away from the tile floor with a dull knife or a thin spatula. Do it carefully so as not to damage the ceramic tile surface!
3. If any stubborn wax stains are remaining on the ceramic tile, heat them away with one of the methods above, and wipe them off.
4. Rinse the ceramic tile floors with clean water and wipe them dry.

Baking soda paste

Baking soda is widely known as an all-purpose home helper. Along with its many cleaning properties, it also works as a great tile wax remover!

Working gently and efficiently, this homemade cleaner is great for ceramic tile care.

The only drawback is that baking soda paste may be applied several times to fully remove wax from tile floors.

Step-by-step cleaning guide: 

1. Make a thick paste of baking soda and clean water. Mix it thoroughly to create a substance that can cover the ceramic tile surface.
2. Cover all the affected ceramic tile surfaces with the prepared paste. Don’t leave any unnoticed parts, as you need to soften as much wax as possible. Let the paste sit and work for a few minutes to break the dried wax down.
3. Start removing wax from tile floors with a clean rug or a soft brush. Scrub the ceramic tile surface thoroughly to remove all the wax residue. Move gently so as not to damage the ceramic tile surface, especially when you work with a scrub brush.
4. Rinse the ceramic tile floor thoroughly. Then, wipe the tile floors dry with a clean rug.

White vinegar cleaner

Among many eco-friendly cleaning agents, vinegar is one of the most popular and efficient ones.

Due to its acidic properties, it can easily defeat many types of dirt, grime, and other buildups on different types of surfaces.

So, can white vinegar remove floor wax? Yes, it definitely can!

Step-by-step cleaning guide: 

1. Fill a bucket with half of clean warm water and mix it with vinegar in a ratio of 1:1.
2. Take a mop or a clean rug and dip it into the cleaning solution. Then, saturate all the affected tile flooring evenly. Don’t miss any areas, as you need all the wax stains covered with the homemade cleanser.
3. Let the cleaning solution sit and work for a few minutes. The acidic properties of this remedy will break the wax buildup down and make it much easier to remove from the flooring.
4. Take a soft scrub brush or a clean rug. Start scrubbing the wax away from the floor with enough pressure, but be careful so as not to destroy the tile surface.
5. As soon as you scrub away most of the wax buildup, wash the cleaned area with a clean rug and fresh water.
6. If some wax stains remain on the floor, repeat the cleaning steps until the surface is absolutely clean and wax-free.

Rubbing alcohol

One more safe method to clean your floor from the wax mess is to remove it with rubbing alcohol. The cleaning process is absolutely simple and requires no extra preparations.

Step-by-step cleaning guide: 

1. Apply enough rubbing alcohol onto a clean piece of cloth to dampen it. However, there is no need to make the cloth completely wet.
2. Start rubbing the floor surface gently with a moistened cloth. Apply enough effort to scrub the wax off tiles, but avoid damaging them with excess pressure.
3. When the wax residue is gone, take another piece of cloth and clean the area with water. Make sure that no wax spots remain on the floor. If you see any, repeat the process until you are pleased with the result.

FAQs

Read also: How to Remove Floor Wax From Laminate? Helpful Guide

Final thoughts

As you can see, several solutions and techniques can help you to remove candle wax from tile floors. We hope you can find the most suitable way to clean your floor.

Share your cleaning tips in the comments below!