Abstract: An early meltdown process of wax sweating is provided which enhances the efficiency, quality, product yield, and throughput of wax. In the early meltdown process, slack wax is crystallized. The crystallized wax is then sweated while simultaneously draining the liquid drippings from the sweating oven. The congealing point of the liquid drippings are monitored. When the congealing point of the liquid drippings indicate that the melting temperature of the desired wax product has been obtained, sweating and drainage are stopped, and the remaining solid bed of wax in the sweating oven is rapidly melted and subsequently upgraded.