Tripod member rescue1 asks:
We recently had a Christmas party and a large pillar candle leaked all over my carpet and was not discovered until just recently. The wax is very thick and bright red. I have tried scraping it off and realized that the wax has actually soaked into the carpet fibers. Any suggestions for removing the wax? The carpeting is only a year old.

Handy Girl Candi suggests:
The same dry cleaning solvents that can get dried paint out of carpet — Carbona #10, K2R, and Afta — are recommended by Dupont for removing candle wax, too. Again, you will follow the package instructions, obey the safety precautions, and test your carpet for color-fastness. (On a leftover scrap of carpet, or on an inconspicuous bit of carpet in a closet or on the edge of the room, apply a bit of the solvent, then wipe it up with a white rag. If none of the carpet's color comes off onto your rag, you can go ahead and use the product on those paint messes.)

But first, get all the wax that hasn't soaked into the fibers out of the way. Place a sealed plastic bag full of ice cubes onto the wax long enough to harden it. Then break off as much of the wax as possible, using a blunt knife or spoon. Vacuum up all the loose bits, then get to work with your solvent. You can read a step-by-step explanation of this procedure at the Dupont Web site.

For more carpet advice, check out the questions I answered on what to do if you accidentally bleach your carpet, and how to remove paint stains from your carpet.

More Handy Girls Answers | Ask the Handy Girls