Candles don't have to end their functionality when the wax is used up, the containers they come in are often beautiful and reusable. All you need to do is remove any lingering wax from the bottom of your candle jar. Here are five clever ways on how to get candle wax out of the jar safely!
1. The Freezer Method
Our first method works best if the wick isn’t glued down and there’s very little wax left in the candle. Scrape up the wax a little bit with something like a butter knife. It’s much easier to remove smaller pieces of wax than one giant piece. Then, put the candle jar upright in the freezer.
Wax shrinks as it freezes, so it will pull away from the sides of the candle jar. The amount of time you’ll have to wait for all the wax to freeze will vary. It could take 20 minutes or several hours so just keep a check on your candle.
You can check if the wax is frozen by pushing down on it. If it moves, it’s frozen. Once it’s frozen, you can take the candle jar out of the freezer. Pop the wax out with a butter knife or turn the candle jar upside down to remove the wax.
You should also be able to pop the wick off with a butter knife if there is one. You can wash the candle jar with soap and water to remove any remaining residue, or even use baby oil if it’s really stuck on.
2. The Boiling Water Method
This process tends to make a mess, so spread out newspapers or some old rags that you don’t mind getting spilled on. You’re going to use boiling water to melt the wax, so use a butter knife to scrape up the wax a little bit. This way, the water can get under the wax better, and the wax will melt faster.
Boil some water and pour it into the votive. You’ll need to leave some room for the wax when it starts to melt, so be sure not to fill the candle jar to the top with water. Leave the candle jar to cool for a few hours and to let the wax reharden.
Once cooled, it should be easy to remove the wax if it’s not already floating on top of the water. Take the wick out with a butter knife, and use more boiling water if you need to loosen it. Now you can wash the candle jar with soap and water or with baby oil to remove any stuck-on residue.
3. The Oven Method
This method involves using your oven at a temperature just hot enough to melt the wax. First, preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit or 94 degrees celsius. Stop melting wax from dripping on your baking sheet by covering it with aluminum foil, being sure to cover the sides as well.
Put your candle jar upside down on the baking sheet. Put the baking sheet with your upside-down candle jar in your preheated oven and wait for the wax to melt. Melting wax is highly flammable, so do not leave your oven unattended! The wax should melt and pool around the candle jar in about 15 minutes, but keep an eye on it in case it melts even quicker.
Once you can see that the max has melted off the bottom of the candle jar, take the baking sheet out of the oven. Using a towel or oven mitts, remove the upside-down candle jar from the baking sheet. Wipe out any remaining residue from the candle jar and wash it with soap and water or baby oil.
4. The Hot Water Method
If you have a soy candle, this will be the best approach since they have a low melting point. First, put the candle jar in a pot or a stopped-up sink. Then, fill the pot or stopper-filled sink with hot water. Make sure that the water isn’t higher than the wax level in the candle jar and that none of the water flows over the top of the candle jar and touches the wax.
It shouldn’t take long for the wax to soften, but wait until it’s soft enough that you can touch the wax with your finger and leave a dent in it. While the water is still warm and without taking the candle jar out of the pot or stopped up sink, remove the wax. Hold the candle jar with one hand and use the other to scrape a butter knife between the glass and the edge of the wax.
Take the candle jar out of the pot or stopper-filled sink and turn the candle jar upside down to remove the wax. If you have to, you can use a butter knife for popping the wax out. Take the wick out of the candle jar or pop it out with a butter knife. Wash the candle jar with soap and water or with baby oil to remove any remaining residue.
5. The Hair Dryer Method
Our final plan of attack is similar to the hot water method. In the same way hair dryers can get wax out of the carpet, you can use them to get wax out of candle jars. While holding your candle jar with an oven mitt or towel, rotate it around while blowing on it with a hairdryer on the warm setting.
Be sure to heat the candle jar underneath as well as around the sides. Again, the amount of time it takes to melt the wax will vary, but you’ll know it’s ready when you’re able to touch it and leave a dent. Then, either scrape out or pop the wax out with a butterknife. Wash the candle jar with soap and water or baby oil to remove any remaining residue.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to get candle wax out of the jar safely, you’ll be able to reuse all of your old candle jars! There’s no need to worry about wasting the last bit of wax since now you can remove it and give the wax and your jar a new life.
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