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How to Remove Wax From Salon Towels

Created: Thursday, 10 September 2020 12:05

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The secret to making your salon towels last longer is to care for them properly. This means cleaning them thoroughly without sacrificing their absorption or softness. All towels aren't built the same way, and certain substances, such as wax, will need unique ways for removal. Salon towels, whether they're terry cloth or microfiber, will likely see a lot of wax in their lifetimes. Unfortunately, salon wax is one of those substances that can't just be washed out quickly in the washing machine. To remove salon wax from towels without damaging the towels requires some know-how, which is why we've put together this guide to removing wax from salon towels.

Types of Salon Wax

In contrast to homemade waxes for hair removal, salon waxes are usually resin-based and not water-soluble. This means they're stronger and more effective at removing even small, coarse hairs. Resin-based waxes are made from tree sap and usually include additional ingredients, like beeswax. Sugar-based waxes, on the other hand, are more natural. They're made using sugar, citric acid, water and chamomile extract. These types of waxes are "washable," which means you can easily clean them off with just some water.

Most professional beauticians use resin-based wax since it has a higher success rate for a range of hair types. The downside is these waxes aren't as easy to clean off since they will not wash away with just water. Often, you need to use oil to remove resin-based wax from salon towels.

How to Remove Wax From Terry Towels

Some of the more common types of towels used in salons are terry towels. Whether for towel-drying hair or soaking up excess salon wax, terry towels provide the utmost comfort and ease for both salon staff and patrons. The biggest perk of terry towels is their softness, which can be threatened by thick, dried wax. So, how do you wash terry towels with wax on them without ruining the towel — or your washing machine? The answer is fairly simple and requires five easy steps.remove-wax-from-terry-towels

1. Freeze It

The easiest way to deal with wax on a towel is when it has hardened. If the wax on your terry towel has already dried and is stiff, you don't need to freeze it. However, if the wax is still liquid or soft, simply put the towel in the freezer to harden the wax. If you don't have access to a freezer, a bag of ice placed directly on top of the wax will also do the trick.

2. Scrape It

Once the wax is hard, you can start to scrape it right off the towel. Use a butter knife or thick plastic to gently scrape the wax off.

If you used ice to harden the wax, you'll likely find the cold made the wax brittle as well, and you should find it fairly easy to peel most of it off. You won't be able to get every single speck off wax off this way, but this is a useful way to remove larger chunks.

3. Heat It

Once you've gotten as much wax as you can get off by scraping, you turn to heat to help get the rest out. A clothes iron works best for this, but you can also use a blowdryer. Just make sure whatever appliance you use is not set to be too hot. Ideally, you just want the iron or blowdryer to be warm enough to soften the wax.

Using two paper towels — or other disposable cloth — sandwich the waxy towel and then press the warm iron on to the top. The heat from the iron will melt the wax and allow it to transfer onto the paper towel. Remember to avoid leaving the warm iron sitting on the same spot for too long since they could end up burning the towel or even start a fire. 

You'll likely need to be patient and move the paper towels around to collect all the wax from the terry towel. Replace the paper towels with clean ones if you need to ensure all the wax transfers off the terry towel and on to the disposable towel. Once there's no more wax left to transfer, you're done with Step 3.

4. Pretreat It

Now that you've removed the wax from your towel, it's time to wash it. But before you put it into the washing machine, you need to pretreat the towel to loosen up any lingering bits of wax.

Simply pour your laundry detergent onto the stained part of the towel and let it sit for approximately 20 minutes.

5. Wash It

Finally, you can throw the towel in the washing machine or wash it by hand with warm water. You can use bleach if your towel is white or use a bleach that's safe for colors if it's not. You may need to wash the towel more than once to make sure the wax stain is completely gone. If there are residue or color stains from the wax still there, wash it again until it's gone. Only when the wax stain is completely removed should you put the towel into the dryer.

How to Remove Wax From Microfiber Towels

More and more salons are learning about the advantages of using microfiber towels instead of terry towels. Thanks to their extremely small fibers, which quickly trap dirt without spreading it around, coupled with their high absorbency, microfiber towels offer tons of benefits for salons of all sorts, from hair to nail to wax.remove-wax-microfiber-towels

When you're wondering how to wash salon wax off microfiber towels, you have to keep the material of the towel top of mind. Microfiber towels have some strict rules for washing, and ignoring them will result in the towels being unable to work as they should. These rules include:

 

  • Avoiding hot water: Microfiber towels should only ever be washed in cold or warm water, never hot water. Similarly, if you're planning to dry the towels in a dryer, make sure you set the heat to low.
  • Avoiding fabric softener: Fabric softener can get trapped within the little fibers in the towel and clog them, making the towel ineffective.
  • Using a dedicated cleanser: While some people say liquid detergent is okay, everyone agrees that powdered detergent is not recommended for washing microfiber towels. Ideally, you should use a dedicated detergent that's designed for microfiber to ensure a safe and thorough clean.

 

However, when it comes to removing salon wax from microfiber towels you may need a little more than microfiber cleanser. For microfiber towels, you can go the same route as for terry towels and freeze the wax before gently scraping it off with a piece of hard plastic. Once the bigger chunks of wax are scraped off, you can use the iron or blow dryer to transfer the remaining wax onto paper towels. Once again, be extremely careful with the amount of heat you use — the iron or blow dryer should be just warm enough to melt the wax.

Once you've transferred the wax onto the paper towels, you have the option to pretreat the microfiber towels. To pretreat them, simply fill a small bucket with warm water and a couple of capsful of your microfiber detergent, and let the towels soak in the solution. You can also gently scrub the stained parts of the towels to help loosen the wax and any other stubborn dirt that may be trapped.

When your towels are done soaking, you can wash them either by hand or in the washing machine. If you opt to use the washing machine, you can fill it with warm water along with your microfiber cleaner and wash it on a regular cycle. You can also add half a cup of white vinegar. Vinegar is excellent for helping tough pollutants break away from the towel. Meanwhile, the microfiber detergent will help wash away the pungent vinegar smell, leaving your towels both clean and smelling fresh.

Once your microfiber towels have been washed, make sure to rinse them out thoroughly so there's no excess water or detergent trapped between those fibers. If your washing machine has a rinse cycle, this is an excellent opportunity to use it. If you're washing your towels by hand, you should rinse them out two or three times with fresh warm water before putting them into the dryer.

How to Remove Wax Residue From Appliances

If you have a lot of towels to wash, you're likely going to use a washing machine rather than washing them all individually by hand. No matter how sure you are that you've done everything to remove eyebrow wax or other hair wax from your towels, there's always the possibility that some wax will remain and come off within your washing machine or dryer.

A buildup of waxy residue in your washing machine or dryer can interfere with its ability to perform, so cleaning the wax out is necessary. But just how do you clean the waxy residue out of a washing machine or dryer?

Washing Machines

washing-machinesFor washing machines, you can quickly remove the waxy residue by first loosening it up with some heat. Using a hairdryer set to medium heat, aim it at the wax until it liquifies. When it's loosened up, wipe it clean using a paper towel or other disposable cloth. You may need to use multiple paper towels to wipe away the wax completely. Once it's been cleaned off, soak a new sheet of paper towel with cleaning solvent and give the interior of the machine a quick wipedown. This step is great for removing any waxy residue as well as loosening other dirt and grime that may have built up over the years.

After that, add in two cups of white vinegar and run the washer with warm water. Don't use any detergent or cleaner during this step — the white vinegar and the warm water will be more than enough to clean away any wax, grime and dirt that may be leftover. Run the washer through one wash cycle as well as one rinse cycle for best results.

Dryers

Cleaning wax out of a dryer is very similar to cleaning it out of a washing machine and begins with loosening the wax to make it easier to remove. The difference is you won't need to stick a blowdryer in there to liquefy the wax. Instead, just soak a couple of rags in clean water to make them damp and throw them into the dryer. Then, turn the dryer on and run it on high heat for about five minutes. The heat and moisture from the cloths will help the wax loosen so you can easily wipe it away.

Next, take a fresh rag and dip it in white vinegar. Use this soaked rag to wipe away any traces of wax you see inside the drum of the dryer. After you've cleaned off the wax, take another rag and dip it in clean warm water to wipe down the drum.

Terry Towels Versus Microfiber Towels for Salons

Using either terry towels or microfibers are solid options for any salon, but there are definite benefits to opting for microfiber towels. Aside from the fact that they're the most efficient at cleaning because the fibers successfully grab and trap even the smallest dirt particles, microfiber towels are also incredibly absorbent.

Unlike terry cotton towels, which are considered "hard" towels, microfiber towels are safe to use on all hair types, allowing you to dry hair quickly without damaging it. The softness of microfiber towels also makes them ideal for cleaning surfaces like glass without leaving any scratches.

On top of all that, microfiber towels can last much longer than cotton towels. All you need to do is make sure you clean and care for them properly. Microfiber towels do vary in prices, with the higher quality towels costing more than lower quality towels. The price is sometimes a dealbreaker for some people, but there are two things to keep in mind:

  • They'll last for years, which can mean they will cost you less overall than other towels that you have to keep replacing every couple of years.
  • Buying microfiber towels in bulk can help offset the overall cost.

The range of sizes in which microfiber towels are available makes them a great choice for all chores and activities, and the variety of available colors makes it easier to avoid cross-contamination.

Buy Salon Towels in Bulk From Towel Super Center

When it comes to stocking your salon with towels, look no further than Towel Super Center. We offer 100% cotton terry cloth towels and microfiber towels for numerous industries, including salons, gyms and hotels. Because we sell towels wholesale, we can help you stock your salon with high-quality towels at a budget-friendly price.

We also offer a range of colors and sizes so you can make sure your towels will suit both your business needs as well as your aesthetic. Browse our selection of wholesale towels or get in touch with any questions by using our online contact form.

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