h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This isn't *exactly* a stain, but it's related. Candle wax on the carpet. I haven't tried this, but I'm told I should put a towel over the spilled wax, then put a hot iron over the towel. The heat will supposedly draw the wax up into the towel, which I can then discard and the carpet beneath will be clean! Sounds clever. Is it true? Has anyone tried this or does anyone know another way? I'll have to have it clean when my lease expires in June!

GTB

CRAYON or CANDLE WAX:
Put the items between layers of paper towel or brown grocery bags and press with warm iron.

As for carpets, I've tried the method, but it never seems to get up everything. Heat will melt the wax, but the towel is what draws it in. The towel may not be able to make direct contact with all the wax (if it's a heavy or thick spill), but the heat will conduct. What the towel does not touch will go down with gravity. So some digs in deeper. Of course, this has just been in my experience. Nevertheless, I think this method is your best bet. And of course most of the wax may be enough if what left behind isn't that noticeable.

Problem: The stain is not removed from your life as it now stains the towel.

If you use paper, the wax will stain the paper, and so forth.... You don't REALLY get rid of the stain,
you just put is somewhere else.

Quite philosophical, eh?.

This is the Law of the Conservation of Filth: You cannot make something clean without making something else dirty.

The corollary is that you can make everything dirty without making anything clean.