#DIYLife: 10 Ways To Reuse The Leftover Wax From Candles

Whether it is for home decoration purposes, creating the right ambience for your next house party or just for spending a relaxing time in the bathtub, we all are guilty of buying expensive aromatherapy candles. While there is no denying that these candles make the house smell like a million bucks, it is heartbreaking to see that last one inch of that heavenly smelling wax go to waste because the wick is burnt out. The following tips will help you learn how to melt candle wax to reuse and put all that wax to good use (and be left with that fancy glass jar for other DIY projects). Here is a list of potpourri decoration ideas to make you home smell divine and feel heavenly.

The process of using old candles starts with understanding how to melt candle wax to reuse. This can be done by placing the jar in the oven to melt the wax, creating a double boiler or by pouring boiling water into the jar to melt the wax. 

10 Creative Ways To Reuse Old Candle Wax

Once you have managed to retrieve all the wax from the jar, these are some easy ways in which you can repurpose it:

1. Car Air Fresheners

The small quantity of wax from used candles is great to make air fresheners for your car. This technique allows you to enjoy the sweet fragrance from your favourite candle even when you are on the go. 

Method:

1. Once you have removed the wax stuck at the bottom of the candle jar, leave it to cool and solidify in any container. The shape and size of the container are irrelevant here.
2. When the wax solidifies, break it into chunks of wax of random shapes and sizes.
3. Place these wax pieces in a clean, empty jam jar or any small glass jar.
4. Cover the top of the jar with a piece of cut-up old stocking. Secure with twine or a rubber band.
5. Place the jar in the car at a spot of your choice.

2. A New Candle

This tip is great for people who are stuck with a bunch of old candles. Using the wax from all of the candles can be used to create a new candle altogether. The fragrances of all the candles will come together to create a new and unique blend. Using similar fragrance notes while making a candle of this sort is highly recommended.

Method:

1. Collect all the candles that need to be repurposed to gauge the size of the new candle.
2. Select a candle jar or bottle for the new candle.
3. Stick one end of the new wick at the bottom of this new candle jar with the help of a glue gun. 
4. Tie a pencil to the other end of the wick and place it along the opening of the jar. 
5. Start by melting the wax from one candle. Once the wax has melted, remove the wick and any other impurities with the help of a tweezer.
6. Pour the melted wax into the new candle jar and wait for it to solidify.
7. Continue the melting process on the wax from all the other used candles. Wait for the wax to dry completely before pouring wax from the next candle.
8. Once all the wax has been poured in, untie the wick from the pencil and cut it to the desired length.

3. Scented Tealights

Tealights have varied uses. They can be used in the temple in place of a diya, as Diwali decorations or just as a decorative accent in the house. Since tealights require a very little amount of wax, using leftover wax from candles to make tealights can be a great idea. All you need is tealight containers and some fresh wick to make yourself a new collection of luxury tealights.

Method:

1. Melt the wax from the used candle by adopting any of the above-mentioned methods.
2. Remove the wick from the wax.
3. Pour a small amount of the melted wax into the tealight container.
4. Insert the wick into the tealight container and cut to the desired length.
5. Leave the tealights to solidify.

4. Upgrade Your Potpourri

A potpourri is a great home decor accessory as it adds colour and fragrance to the home. But since the exposed surface of the potpourri is rather large, the fragrance in the potpourri needs to be replenished regularly. Since the wax used in candles is heavy on fragrance, adding this leftover wax to potpourri is a great way to have the potpourri smelling great for longer. This wax can also be used with dried flowers and fresh herbs of your choice to create your own DIY potpourri.

Method:

1. Melt the wax from the used candle.
2. Remove the wick and any other impurities from the wax.
3. Pour the wax into any container and leave it to solidify. You can also add essential oil of your choice at this point.
4. Once the wax is solid, break chunks of this wax.
5. Add these chunks to your potpourri and place it in the desired corner of your home.

5. Insect Repellent Candles

There are times when we are stuck with candles that have very little or no fragrance left in them. If you know how to melt candle wax to reuse, you can make use of these neutral candles to make bug repellent candles that can be used for your next camping trip.

Method:

1. Once you have melted the wax from old candles, add a few drops of concentrated citronella essential oil to add bug repellent qualities to the wax.
2. Stick one end of the wick to the bottom of any old jar with a glue gun. 
3. Tie a pencil to the other end of the chopstick and place it along the opening of the jar.
4. Pour the prepared citronella candle wax into the jar. Gently stir the wax to incorporate the oil in the wax.
5. Cut the wick in the desired length.
6. Leave the candle to solidify completely.

6. Air Purifier

The wax from leftover candles can be used to create melts for a wax burner and purify the air. Once you have learnt how to melt candle wax to reuse, a blend of essential oils can be added according to personal preference in order to enjoy the fresh air that relaxes the mind, prevents allergies and induces sleep.

Method:

1. Melt wax from all the leftover candles. 
2. Remove all the impurities from the wax.
3. Add eucalyptus essential oil, lavender essential oil, tea tree essential oil and peppermint essential oil in desired quantities to the melted wax. You can choose to eliminate or add essential oils depending on your preference. 
4. Stir the wax mixture.
5. Pour the melted wax into a tealight container. 
6. Add the wick and cut in the desired length.
7. Let the tealight solidify.
8. Once ready, place the tealight in a wax melt burner and light.

7. Fire Starter

This DIY for using wax from old candles will save you from the trouble of being stuck with ineffective fire starters. Candle wax can be repurposed by creating fire starters for barbecue nights. All it takes to create these firestarters are a few items that are already present at home. 

Method:

1. Melt the wax from the candle and remove the wick along with other impurities.
2. Mix some shredded paper into the melted wax. You can use paper from the shredder or cut up bits of newspaper. You could also use cardboard pieces for this project.
3. Pour this mixture into ice trays.
4. Let the wax solidify completely. 

8. Floating Candles

Floating candles are the easiest and probably the cheapest centrepiece when it comes to home decoration. Using a shallow bowl filled with water and placing some floating candles in it (you can also add fresh flowers) adds a very festive and ethnic vibe to the space. The wax from used candles is great for making floating candles as it makes the area look and smell great at the same time.

Method:

1. Melt the wax from the old candles.
2. You may add a small chunk of a wax crayon for colour or some essential oils for fragrance at this point.
3. Pour the wax into an ice tray or any mould of your choice.
4. Let the wax solidify.
5. Unmould the floating candles.

9. Save Shoelaces

Shoelaces often get frayed at the ends. At such times, most of us discard them and move on to buying new ones. Using wax from the old candles can help save your shoelaces in an easy, effective and inexpensive manner.

Method:

1. Melt the wax from the old candle.
2. Remove any impurities.
3. Dip the ends of the shoelaces into the wax.
4. Place the shoelaces on a plastic-lined surface.
5. Wait till the wax is warm and roll the wax between your fingertips to smoothen it.
6. Let the wax solidify completely.

10. Pincushion

Every woman finds herself hunting down pins when she needs them. This easy project can help you create a very unique pincushion using the wax from old candles. Follow these simple steps and you won’t ever have to go searching for pins again.

Method:

1. Melt the wax from the used candle.
2. Remove any impurities and the wick.
3. Pour the wax into a bowl or a wide ice tray. Fill the container to the brim.
4. Wait for the wax to solidify.
5. Unmould the wax from the container.
6. Using a glue gun, stick the flat side of the prepared candle to the top of an old jar. 
7. You could also stick it on top of your sewing box lid.

Precautionary Tips To Keep In Mind While Reusing Old Candle Wax

Working with wax and candles can be extremely interesting, but also quite dangerous. Here are some pointers to keep in mind while creating items of utility from you old candles:

1. When learning how to melt candle wax to reuse ,use a method you are most comfortable with. If you don’t have much experience using the stove, it is best that you steer clear of that technique. Using a high power hair dryer is a safe and effective wax melting option for beginners.
2. Always use chopsticks or metal tweezers to pluck out the wick and remove any foreign objects from melted wax. Using plastic spoons to remove these objects is not recommended as the plastic can melt.
3. Melted wax is extremely hot. Hence, caution should be exercised to ensure that the wax does not land on the skin. All such wax related activities are best done when there are no children around.

With so many wonderful ways to use the wax from old candles, there is absolutely no reason to throw them away. In addition to the DIY ideas mentioned above, you can also use your imagination and creativity to come up with innovative decorative materials that can be made using the leftover wax from candles. All it takes is basic knowledge of how to melt candle wax to reuse to create fun projects like Christmas ornaments, paperweights or home decor items. The next time you buy an expensive candle, do so without an iota of guilt because this time around, no part of the candle will be wasted.