Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Newsletters Best Picks Entertainment Nintendo Switch 2 Tariff tracker Best Mattress Wordle Today I cleaned my faucets using candle wax and it left my bathroom looking like a luxury hotel Annie Collyer 10 April 2025 Does this viral hack actually work? When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer) If, like me, you're on the cleaning side of TikTok, then you've probably come across some questionable cleaning hacks that have made you raise an eyebrow. For the most part, I believe hacks that use vinegar or baking soda, but I do draw the line at candle wax. The second I flicked onto this hack I knew I needed to try it on my stainless steel faucets—I feel like I am forever cleaning the water marks off them thanks to living in a hard water area. Apparently, if you rub candle wax directly onto your stainless steel faucets and buff it in with a cloth, it prevents water marks for days. Armed with a couple of tealights and a cloth, I gave it a go on my decorative but difficult-to-clean faucets in my en-suite, and here's what happened. I'll definitely do this again for the shine alone as it left my faucets looking hotel-worthy. I've never seen them shine like that! Will I do it every time I clean? Probably not — but before guests come I'll definitely put it on my to-do list. How did it fare with watermarks, though? Here's what they looked like three days and six showers later. You may like Forget baking soda — I cleaned my stainless steel with this food item A professional cleaner just revealed the most obvious bathroom cleaning hack, and I'm shocked I never thought of it @makelifesimpler_ ♬ Bed Chem - Sabrina Carpenter What do you need to clean your stainless steel faucets? (Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer) You're going to need clean faucets and shower ware, firstly. You can't do this on anything that's dirty or that already has limescale build-up. Otherwise, all you need is a candle (I used an unscented tealight candle) and a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Stonebriar 48 Count White Unscented Tea Light Candles:$16.13 at Amazon Need some tea lights? This pack of 48 is cheap and cheerful! They're unscented and you can burn them inside, as they're smokeless. How to clean your faucets with candle wax (Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer) It's a pretty simple thing to do — firstly, take the tealight out of the aluminum shell. Then start rubbing the disc of wax onto your faucets or any stainless steel you want to clean. It's easy to use on things like sink faucets but I did find it tricker on my shower as it's a wonky surface. You can do this on any stainless steel that you want to shine, so long as it's already clean. Before and after. (Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer) Once you're happy that you've applied a generous amount of candle wax, you'll need to buff it in with a dry microfiber cloth. This is fast and easy — and it leaves your faucets looking so shiny! Immediately I was pleased with the results and couldn't quite believe how fast it buffed into the stainless steel. You really can't deny the results here! My faucets looked so shiny within seconds. Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Before and after. (Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer) The results At first glance, the results are totally worth it. But, this is an extra step in your cleaning routine, and if you're doing it on all of the stainless steel in your bathroom, it's going to take a little time. I definitely agree that it's worth it for the shine, but is it worth it for preventing watermarks? 3 days after. (Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer) My short answer is no. I took some photos of the same faucet in my en-suite bathroom three days later. We'd had six showers in here within this time. I didn't notice a huge difference in how this faucet usually looks around three days after cleaning. Saying, that, though, I did give my sink faucet a quick wipe with a damp cloth and it was instantly shining once more. (Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer) So, while I wouldn't use this cleaning hack to prevent watermarks in my bathroom, it is great for getting your silverware to shine. Normally I'd have to clean my faucets again after a few days with bathroom cleaner and maybe some white vinegar to get them to shine, but it seems like a damp microfiber cloth did the job thanks to the layer of candle wax that was already on my faucet. Good to know I only ended up using one tea light for this entire bathroom, which I think is great when it comes to price per use. It's an affordable way to make your bathroom shine. Your hands do get a little waxy so some people might prefer to wear gloves. I didn't mind. When you get to the end of your block of candle wax it'll probably break into pieces, but these small pieces are handy for getting into cracks and crevices! More from Tom's Guide How to get burn marks out of carpet — 7 effective methods This handy tool fixed the hardest step of cleaning my carpets — and it's only $7 How to remove carpet dents from furniture — easy fixes that actually work Today's best microfiber cloth deals 60 Amazon customer reviews We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Annie Collyer Social Links Navigation Freelance Contributor Annie is a freelancer at Tom's Guide. She's been an Editor at various home magazines for 7 years — reviewing and writing about everything from cleaning products to air fryers and mattresses. Annie started her career at Real Homes as Deals Editor in 2018 and by 2020 she was the UK Shopping Editor at Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, and Ideal Home. She was in charge of the majority of eCommerce content on these sites, including reviews and buying guides. Now, as a freelancer, she writes features, reviews, and guides for several brands including BBC Good Food, Ideal Home, and Parade Home & Garden. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. 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