There’s something about the soft glow combined with a heavenly scent in the air that makes candles so irresistible. But what happens when you get to the bottom of your expensive candle (that was totally worth the price tag because self-care)? It’d be wasteful to throw out a perfectly good jar, but you don’t know how to take the wax out so it gets shoved into the back of a cabinet or shelf to deal with later.

But it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are 4 ways to remove candle wax and several upcycling ideas to repurpose your candle jars.

 

Melt the wax with boiling water.

If you’re looking for a lava lamp moment, try out this wax removal method.

• Protect the surface you’re using with a towel and place your candle jar on top.
• Pour boiling water into the jar and leave some room at the top for the wax (Note: if your candle uses soy wax, hot water is good enough).
• The wax will melt and float to the top. Let it cool and then remove the wax with a butter knife or spoon.
• Tip: don’t pour the water out as it is! Make sure to strain the water to catch small wax bits so it doesn’t go down the drain.

 

 

Use the oven.

This method is good if you need to do several candles at the same time.

• Preheat the oven to 180°F. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil or 2 layers of parchment paper.
• Place the candles upside down and put the baking pan in the oven for about 15 minutes.
• Pick up the jar with a towel and hold it while wiping out the wax with a paper towel. Then let the candle jars cool.

 

Freeze the wax.

Cold temperatures causes wax to harden and shrink, so this is probably the simplest way to get the wax out of your favorite candle jars.

• Put the candle jar into the freezer for several hours or overnight until frozen.
• The wax should pop out, but you can also use a butter knife or spoon to loosen it if needed.

 

 

Use a hair dryer.

If you’ve got a hair dryer on hand, you can try out this method.

• Use a towel or oven mitt to hold your candle jar.
• Heat the sides and bottom until the wax has softened. Remove wax with a spoon or butter knife.

 

 

How to Clean Your Candle Jar

After your candle jars have cooled down, it’s time to clean them. All you need is dish soap, warm water, and a sponge to give them a good scrub. Now your jars are clean and ready for repurposing!

 

 

Repurposing Your Candle Jars

There’s almost an endless amount of ways to upcycle your candle jars. You can use them as storage for just about anything, from pens to beauty products. If you choose to reuse them for holding snacks or drinks, make sure the jars are food-safe!

 

With all that in mind, it's time to grab all those nearly-empty candle jars that have been collecting dust and start reusing them! It's also a great time to purchase our sustainable candles for yourself or a loved one — they're nontoxic and hand-poured. Plus, you'll be supporting a small BIPOC, women-founded business that's working to reduce the environmental impact of fast furniture!

Shop our candles and furniture at sabai.design 🛒 — if you've got any questions, drop us a comment or email us at customer@sabai.design!