How do I remove candlewax from the front of a television?
March 31, 2007 7:54 PM Subscribe
how do i get candle wax (petroleum-based) off of the glass front of my CRT television?
we'd had a candle on top of the t.v. for mood lighting, and it overflowed it's container one time when I wasn't paying attention. the wax has dribbled in a fairly straight and narrow line down about 8 inches long onto the glass panel.
if this were just a window or a table top, I'd bust out a razor blade and start gently scraping. As it's the front panel of a television, however, I'm leery of scratching the glass and ruining the t.v. I'm cleaning it up to sell before non-HD CRT televisions become utterly worthless.
Google searches all seem to return information about removing wax from cloth or carpet.
Any suggestions/products?
thanks.
we'd had a candle on top of the t.v. for mood lighting, and it overflowed it's container one time when I wasn't paying attention. the wax has dribbled in a fairly straight and narrow line down about 8 inches long onto the glass panel.
if this were just a window or a table top, I'd bust out a razor blade and start gently scraping. As it's the front panel of a television, however, I'm leery of scratching the glass and ruining the t.v. I'm cleaning it up to sell before non-HD CRT televisions become utterly worthless.
Google searches all seem to return information about removing wax from cloth or carpet.
Any suggestions/products?
thanks.
Goo Gone or mineral spirits will dissolve wax. Use some glass cleaner after.
posted by Marky at 8:03 PM on March 31, 2007
posted by Marky at 8:03 PM on March 31, 2007
Cold will work better than heat. Heat just smears it around. Try the corner of an ice cube, very judiciously applied, and the wax will pop off in one piece.
posted by acorncup at 8:19 PM on March 31, 2007
posted by acorncup at 8:19 PM on March 31, 2007
How about a plastic scraper, instead of the straight blade?
posted by philomathoholic at 8:19 PM on March 31, 2007
posted by philomathoholic at 8:19 PM on March 31, 2007
Plastic scraper (that's how you get wax off skis - mine are plexiglass, I think.)
Most auto stores sell plastic "razor blades" for removing old registration stickers without scratching your windshield. That's where I'd start.
posted by Opposite George at 8:57 PM on March 31, 2007
Most auto stores sell plastic "razor blades" for removing old registration stickers without scratching your windshield. That's where I'd start.
posted by Opposite George at 8:57 PM on March 31, 2007
er, my scrapers are plexiglass; my skis are polyethylene (which is pretty soft, btw, so you should be okay on glass.)
posted by Opposite George at 8:59 PM on March 31, 2007
posted by Opposite George at 8:59 PM on March 31, 2007
I used this trick on carpet, it may work on a television. Put a paper towel over the wax spot and press a hot iron on it. The max melts and goes into the paper towel.
posted by Mijo Bijo at 9:04 PM on March 31, 2007
posted by Mijo Bijo at 9:04 PM on March 31, 2007
Using a scraper on a TV CRT could be a very bad idea, because there might be an anti-glare coating and a scraper would remove it, leaving what looks like a "bright spot". If you shine a flashlight on a part of the TV screen which doesn't have wax on it now, and if the reflection is kind of purple or blue, then it's got an anti-glare coating.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 9:19 PM on March 31, 2007
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 9:19 PM on March 31, 2007
The first answer was the best. Hot washcloth. Detergent isn't even needed, but won't hurt. You might have to do it a few times (clean washcloth each time) but I guarantee it will work. Wear some rubber gloves, because you want to get the cloth so hot you can barely handle it with bare hands, then wring it out really well so you don't drip water everywhere.
And you can use the edge of a credit card gently (or just your fingernail) to remove the big chunks before using the hot washcloth.
Been there, done that, have the clean CRT to prove it.
posted by Bradley at 9:39 PM on March 31, 2007
And you can use the edge of a credit card gently (or just your fingernail) to remove the big chunks before using the hot washcloth.
Been there, done that, have the clean CRT to prove it.
posted by Bradley at 9:39 PM on March 31, 2007
Using a scraper on a TV CRT could be a very bad idea, because there might be an anti-glare coating and a scraper would remove it, leaving what looks like a "bright spot".
If this is a possibility (and it is), then anything (chemical cleaners, hot washcloth, ...) will have the same effect. FWIW.
posted by philomathoholic at 10:04 PM on March 31, 2007
If this is a possibility (and it is), then anything (chemical cleaners, hot washcloth, ...) will have the same effect. FWIW.
posted by philomathoholic at 10:04 PM on March 31, 2007
Mijo Bijo, I was shtoopid enought to try that on a mirror once. Glass, hot iron, ker-shatter. doh!
posted by merocet at 10:34 PM on March 31, 2007
posted by merocet at 10:34 PM on March 31, 2007
Response by poster: wow, so many options!
I will consider these carefully and tackle the problem tomorrow.
I'll report back with my findings.
peace.
posted by I, Credulous at 11:38 PM on March 31, 2007
I will consider these carefully and tackle the problem tomorrow.
I'll report back with my findings.
peace.
posted by I, Credulous at 11:38 PM on March 31, 2007
Goo Gone makes a product specifically for removing candle wax: Candle Wax Lifter
posted by catburger at 2:12 PM on April 1, 2007
posted by catburger at 2:12 PM on April 1, 2007
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posted by fvw at 8:02 PM on March 31, 2007