How To: Clean Up Your Chanukah Mess

The eight crazy Chaunkah nights have come to an end. And what a holiday it was! I was off vacationing in California and got these shoes as a gift from my family. NICE! But the celebrations only last that long and now all that's left is a wax-covered menorah and wrapping paper fiasco. Here's how to deal with the post-Chanukah mess and get all of that wax cleaned up. Let's first deal with the wrapping paper remains since that's a quick fix. Collect it all and throw it out. Most wrapping paper is, unfortunately, not recyclable. BUT! If you have any remains that can be reused, roll them up (folding it will create unattractive creases) and stow them away for the next wrapping session. Ribbons can be reused as well so feel free to put those aside and store them with the wrapping paper. We'll discuss the perfect way to store gift wrapping supplies in the next post.

And now for the hard part...that waxy mess. I'm going to assume that you're knee-deep in wax and discuss how to remove it from multiple services. Educate yourself as you see appropriate.

Silver: Place the silver in your freezer for ten minutes and crack off the wax once you take it out. Most of the chunks should fall off but you'll probably be left with a nasty residue. Put on some gloves and use hot water to remove the remainder of the wax. Hot water and a soft cloth works to wipe away the remaining wax and residue. Side note: did you know that you can use toothpaste to polish silver?? Try it, I dare you.

Fabric: Wait until it dries before attempting to clean it up. Then grab a butter knife and scrape off whatever wax you can. Now use a paper bag (you can also use a couple of paper towels) and iron to remove the rest. Lay the paper over the wax and iron the paper using medium heat. The wax will transfer onto the paper. You can wipe up the remaining residue (if there is any) with a droplet of laundry detergent and a damp rag.

Leather: Use a blow dryer to warm up the wax. Then clean it up using a soft, clean cloth. Get that remaining residue using a damp cloth with mild soap or leather cleaner.

Wood: Grab an ice cube and harden the wax with it. Then, carefully scrape off the wax using a credit card (baller!). Remove any residue using cream furniture polish and a soft rag.

Skin: Wash the skin with warm water to remove whatever wax you can. Use oil (baby oil is a good option since it smells nice) to remove the remaining residue.

Now sit back, relax, and whip out your latest gift and admire it (that's what I've been doing with my shoes for the last week). Happy post-Chanukah!