We love jarred candles. They’re pretty, emit a lovely smell, and add a soft, lovely ambiance to any room. And as an extra bonus, you can repurpose the jar when you’re done. There’s a trick to that, though. You have to get the old candle wax out of the jar first.
Sometimes you get lucky and the wax comes out of the jar with relative ease, but unfortunately, it isn’t always so cooperative. Most of the time, the candle wax coats the sides of the glass, clinging for dear life. If you’ve got plans for that jar, this situation is frankly, unacceptable. The wax needs to go.
We’ve rounded up the easiest, most effective strategies for how to get wax out of candle jars. And as a bonus, we’ve included some of our favorite ideas for repurposing those jars once you’ve cleaned them.
1. Hot Water
1. Anyone who’s ever lit a candle knows that wax melts when it gets hot. This makes it far easier to remove it from the glass. The easiest way to take advantage of this fact is to boil a pot of water on the stove. It doesn’t need to be a full pot. Simply fill the water so it will be about the same height as the wax is in your candle jar. Remove from the burner as soon as it starts boiling.
2. Next, lower the candle jar into the water. Be careful not to burn yourself.
Note: The candle jar will be very hot. Do not touch it with your bare hands. Grasp it with a pair of tongs or a hot pad.
3. When the wax begins to liquify and soften, remove the jar from the pot and put it onto a dry towel.
4. Now that the wax is soft, you can easily remove it from the sides of the candle jar with a rubber spatula or butter knife. Be sure to put the softened wax on the towel so you can dispose of it properly. Do not throw it down the sink (when it hardens again it can clog your plumbing).
5. Throw the chunks of wax in the garbage or save them for later. Once you’ve gathered enough bits and pieces you can melt them down and make new candles out of them (more on that later).
2. The Freezer
In addition to having a reaction to extreme heat, wax also has a reaction to the cold. Candle wax hardens and contracts in frigid temperatures. The easiest way to take advantage of this is to simply put your jarred candle in the freezer.
You’ll have to plan ahead for this method because it will take several hours for the wax to become completely frozen. Once it is, the wax will pop right out of the jar with a butter knife. Clean the glass with dish soap and warm water if necessary.
3. The Oven
The oven method is very similar to the boiling water method in that it takes advantage of heat to soften the wax and extract it from the jar.
1. To get started, preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
2. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil.
3. Place the candle jar upside down on the baking pan and put it into the oven.
4. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the candle wax runs out of the jar into the foil. Remove the pan from the oven and the glass will be clean.
Now that picked your favorite method and removed the wax from your candle jar, what will you do with it? The possibilities are endless!
Uses For Clean Candle Jars
Shop Organizer
Candle jars are perfect for storing nuts, bolts, screws, and nails.
Craft Storage
If you enjoy crafts, candle jars are the perfect place to hold beads, glitter, ribbon and other crafty materials.
Beauty Products
If you make your own bath salts or homemade lotion, first of all, we want to be on your gift list. Second, why purchase new jars when you can reuse the beautiful jars from your old candles?
Change Jar
Candles are an attractive way to collect loose change. Set one on your dresser and watch it all add up.
Votive Candle Holder
No one likes a naked votive candle. Place it in a clean, empty candle jar and let it sparkle and shine.
Dessert Holders
Show off your elegant side by serving custards, mousses, and fruit compotes in your repurposed candle jars.
And we leave you with our personal favorite:
Recycled Candle Holder
Remember all those bits and pieces of wax you removed from candle jars throughout the year? Why waste them? Melt them down, get a new wick from the craft store, and make a brand spanking new candle you can enjoy all over again.
