Here is how to clean a wax warmer: soften the old wax, lift it out, and wipe the dish. It takes a few minutes, and it is the best way to start fresh when a scent is spent or you are ready for a new one.
Before you start
- Keep water away from the electrical parts of the warmer.
- The dish gets hot. Handle it with care when the wax is liquid.
- Never pour melted wax down a sink or drain. It hardens in the pipes.
Method 1: Paper towels
Turn the warmer on for a few minutes, just until the wax is liquid. Switch it off, fold a few paper towels, and soak up the wax. Give the dish a final wipe while it is still warm.
Method 2: Cotton balls
With the wax melted and the warmer switched off, drop two or three cotton balls into the dish. They soak up the wax in seconds. Lift them out with a spoon, let them cool, and throw them away.
Method 3: Freeze and pop it out
If the dish lifts off, let it cool completely, then set it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. The wax shrinks as it chills and pops out in one piece with a little pressure at the edge. Only do this with a removable dish that has fully cooled, since a sudden temperature change can crack ceramic or glass.
Removing the last film
A warm wipe with a paper towel takes off most of what is left. For a stubborn film on a cool ceramic or glass dish, a cotton pad with a little rubbing alcohol does the rest. Check your warmer’s instructions before using anything else on it.
How often to clean it
Clean the dish every time you change scents, so the old fragrance does not muddy the new one. If you are sticking with the same scent, remove the spent wax before adding fresh cubes. Not sure if it is spent? Here is how long wax melts last.
Make the next cleanup easier
Silicone dish liners and disposable warmer liners lift out with the wax in them, so the dish stays clean. Pre-portioned melt cups also help you use one measured amount at a time.
Time for a new scent
A clean dish is the best time to try something different. Browse bakery wax melts, fresh wax melts or fruity wax melts, or see the full range of soy wax melts. New to it all? Start with how to use wax melts.
Questions people ask
Melt the wax, switch the warmer off, and drop in two or three cotton balls. They soak up the wax in seconds and go straight in the trash.
Only if the instructions say so, and only after you remove all the wax. Never put the electrical base in water.
Let the wax harden, then throw it in the trash. Do not pour it down a drain, where it hardens and can clog the pipes.
Each time you switch scents, and whenever the wax in the dish no longer has any scent.