Creative Tips & Tricks for Leftover Candle Wax

 

It’s always hard to see the leftover wax sitting at the bottom of your favorite candle unused and untouched. Especially when there is still fragrance in the unburned portion.  So what do you do?  Do you throw out the candle and open up a new one?  Or do you re-purpose and reuse that perfectly good candle wax?

Reusing candle wax is incredibly easy!  Here are a few ways that you can re-purpose the wax and save your sanity (and pocketbook):

Make Your Own Scent Chunks 
Break the wax up into small chunks, about the size of a half dollar. Then use the scent chips in small hot plates or tart burners to provide that same wonderful fragrance in your room as a great flameless alternative.

My favorite candles to do this with are the Airwick candles found in most Wal-Mart candle aisles in the grocery section.  There is just enough wax left that I can get 2-3 small scent chunks.  (See: Car Air Freshener to see what these scent chunks are great for).

Make a Tiered Candle 
Grab a mason jar, melt down some of your favorite scents that are coming close to the end, and pour the leftovers in the Mason jar and use a spoon to center a wick in the middle.  Candle stubs can easily be melted down and turned into new candles.

I love LOVE doing this with the 719 Walnut candles.  I can mix and match the scents so that I have a beautiful, unique, homemade-tiered candle.

Car Air Freshener 
This one time, a long time ago (like 5 months ago) when it was 105 degrees outside, I had some chicken in my trunk that slipped behind the stroller and was left for a couple of days until the smell was so horrendous I thought I had a dead animal hidden somewhere in my car.

Someone gave me the tip to take a few wax squares (the Glade squares work great! Or make your own per my tip above), throw them in a coffee mug and set them in your cup holder.  IT WORKED!!  This probably only works when it’s 80+ degrees outside or hotter, but regardless, think of the endless scents you can have in your vehicle! 

Candle Wax Tips 
* Always keep a bunch of cheap white candles lying around. You can spice them up with some glue and glitter depending on the occasion. I use white school glue and paint the sides of the candle with it and then roll it in different colored glitter, depending on what I need. It's cute and it looks good too!

These beautiful candles were created by Stylin' in Suburbia. (Photo Credit)

* If the candle is smoking it means the wick needs trimming. Extinguish the candle, trim the wick to ¼", remove any carbon from the wax pool, and then relight the candle.

* Next time the plastic tip of your shoelace starts to break, don't rush out to by new laces, fix it by dipping the ends in the melted candle wax.

* Avoid tears when cutting onions. Place a candle next to the cutting board and the candle will absorb some of the fumes that cause the tears. OR, place the cutting board next to a plug-in air freshener (the Glade plug-ins are FANTASTIC!) and start dicing those onions tear-free.

* You can use leftover wax and dryer lint to make fire starters. Pour it in a cardboard egg carton or toilet paper tube and cut it up. You can light the cardboard or add a sliver of paper or wood to light.

* Use a piece of uncooked spaghetti as a matchstick to light those hard to reach wicks.

* If you have warped candles, dunk them in a pan of warm water to make them pliable enough to bend back straight.

* Put out candles by shoving the wick into the melted wax. This keeps the wick from smoking and ruining the fragrance in the room. Make sure you straighten the wick after the flame goes out. 

* All of these great candles I mentioned above can by purchased in the grocery section at Wal-Mart.  The selection is great and the prices are even better!! 


Melted wax from the very end of candles can be repurposed in many ways. Got your own unconventional uses for candles that don’t involve birthday cakes or illuminating the darkness?  Share them with me here!