How to remove candle soot from walls

Candles add ambience, exotic aromas and a relaxing mood to any room. Unfortunately, most candles give off soot as they burn, which can cling to wall surfaces if the candle is placed too close. Soot appears as black marks on walls, and needs to be removed quickly to avoid permanently staining the paint. Removing candle soot from walls is an easy task as long as you use the correct tools and follow the proper procedure.

Vacuum loose soot from the walls with a sweeper attachment. Hold the sweeper attachment 2.5 cm (1 inch) from the wall as you vacuum to avoid smearing the soot.

Mix 10 ml (2 tsp) washing-up liquid into 1 litre (1 quart) of warm water. Dip a sponge into the soapy mixture. Squeeze out the excess liquid.

Dab the sponge onto the soot stain, working from the outer edge inwards. Do not wipe the soot as you could spread it to other areas of the wall. Continue dabbing the soot onto the sponge. Rinse the sponge in the soapy water and wring out excess water before reapplying to the stain.

Pat the wall with a damp sponge after removing all of the soot stain. Dry the wall with a clean cloth.