"How To" Series: Removing Wax From A Dining Table

We had some friends over for dinner this week - sort of a back to school celebration.  It was very casual but still special.  We managed to talk all the kids into eating outside on a blanket (not sure how we pulled that off).  Then the adults sat in our dining room (in the AC) and had a relaxed meal.  At the end of dinner, one very sweet friend who has tons of style, looked over at me and said, "I just noticed those candles have ruined your table!"  

The AC was blowing so strongly it had blown dots of candle wax all over the table.

This is how the conversation went from there.

Me: Oh, it's no big deal.  I can get it off.

All the women at the table: HOW?!

Me: With a credit card.

One Friend: Oh, I get it . . .  you use the card to pay the refinisher to come fix the table. 

Another Friend: I know you can unlock a door with one, did it in college once.

My Husband(completely engaged in a different conversation) piped up: What? We're having the table refinished?

Entire table: Blah ha ha ha

Me: No, you use the edge of the credit card to gently scrape off the wax.

Husband: Well  . . . finally a good use for that card of yours! 

Entire table: Blah Ha Ha Ha

Another Husband: Why not just use a knife to dig it out?

His wife: Are you nuts? 

Me: (thinking of course) I so need to blog about this. 

So, here's how you do it:

Step 1
Wait until the wax is completely dry (I waited until the next morning). Gently pick up the candlestick to remove as much wax as possible with the candlestick itself.

Step 2

Remove as many large pieces of wax as you can with your fingers. 

Do not dig your fingernails into the wax to try and remove it, just remove the large pieces that will come off easily.  This is what was left from one of the smaller candlesticks.

Step 3
Take a hard plastic credit card (I used our health insurance card since it really isn't good for much else these days)!

Place the card at a 45 degree angle to the table and gently push the wax away from you in small strokes.  You really don't have to push down hard to loosen the pieces.

Step 4
Continue gently scraping until the table feels smooth when you slide the card over the surface.  Because the card is plastic it will not scratch the table (sort of like using a plastic spatula on a teflon pan).

Here's the final result.

Feeling a bit like Heloise after this post and wondering if you have any handy tricks you want to share?  This is my last post this week.  Have a great weekend, and I hope to see you back here on Monday!  M.