Mineral spirits, naphtha and turpentine dissolve wax and don’t damage any finish when used sparingly. So remove wax crayon marks by wiping over them with a cloth dampened with one of these solvents.
Candle drips are usually too thick to be removed easily with one of these solvents, though the solvents will work eventually. It’s much faster to freeze or scrape off most of the wax and then clean up any remainder with solvent.
To freeze a wax drip, hold an ice cube on it for a short time. Then pop off the wax with your fingernail. To scrape wax, use a credit card or any hard-edged utensil or tool, but be careful not to cut into the finish.
You can also use a blow dryer or heat gun to soften the wax and then slowly wipe it off. But be especially careful with a heat gun because it can blister the finish. Clean up any remaining wax residue with one of the solvents.
