Home Decor Tips: How To Clean Your Candle Jars

Candles are inexpensive, classy, and have the power to make any event magnificent. You don’t need expensive chandeliers or centerpieces to illuminate your event; a simple candle in a candle jar is enough to brighten your night.

You can also use mason jars for candles as they’re smooth, non-porous, and strong enough to resist cracks and heat. Are you wondering how to clean your candle jars? Are you looking for ideas to reuse the leftover candle wax and jars? Let us provide a comprehensive guide about candle jars and their maintenance.

4 Easy Ways to Get Wax Out of a Candle Jar

For all candle lovers, here comes the most challenging part. After lighting the candles, the end comes, and the cleaning comes. You might’ve noticed some small clumps of leftover wax in your candle jars, but how to get them out? Let’s try the following tips to make your jars reusable and repurposable.

1. Freeze the jars:

The best way to eliminate the wax from candle jars is to place and freeze the jars in the freezer overnight. Unlike the water, the cold shrinks the candle wax, which can be easily cleaned by scraping off with a butter knife. This method works if a small amount of candle wax is still left in the jar; try some other handy steps mentioned below for a more significant amount.

2. Use boiling water:

This method best suits the challenging, stubborn leftover wax in a wide-mouthed candle jar. Even if you try the freezing process, some leftover wax remains in the candle jars. The best way to remove this rigid wax is to use boiling water and pour it into the candle jars. And stir it for a while, drain the melted candle, and dry the candle jar with a dry and clean cloth.

3. Use a pan:

Take a large pan and put hot boiling water in it, then place your candle jar in the water. Ensure the water doesn’t get in the pot and the candle jar is upright. Once you see the wax coming out of the jar, remove the jar carefully. Remove the liquid wax from the pot and wash the jar with soap and water. This method works best for coconut or soy as their wax is exceptionally smooth and hard to get rid of, especially from the edges of the candle jar.

4. Use a blow-dryer:

A unique and odd technique to get out all the leftover wax from the candle jars is to use a blow-dryer or a heat gun. Place the candle jar on a heat-proof surface. Using a hair dryer, remove all the leftover wax from the candle jar. Be a little cautious not to melt the tag of the candle jar while melting the wax. Once the wax is liquified, pour it all out and remove the excess using a power towel or clean and dry cloth.

How to Remove the Labels & Stickers of a Candle Jar

After cleaning the leftover stubborn wax from the candle jar, here comes another tricky part, i-e, the labels and stickers on the candle jars! But how do you get rid of them? Of course, once the candle gets melted, you’re left with just the empty jar, but the good news is you can reuse it. But before that, let’s learn how you’d be able to remove those sticky and stubborn stickers and tags from your empty candle jars.

1. Nail polish remover:

The easiest way is to remove the sticky tags and stickers using nail polish remover/alcohol. Spray some on the jar, pour some drops into the paper tower, and rub it slowly and gently. After 4-5 minutes, you’d see them coming off . Make sure to wash the candle jars with soap and water to eliminate the icky smell of nail polish remover.

2. Water:

The easiest way to remove the stickiest and most problematic tags is to use water. Take an enormous container, and fill it with hot water; the hotter, the better. Put your jars into the hot water. Be a little cautious; do not burn yourself. Let the candle jars be in the water for a while, and after some minutes, you’d be easily able to take off the tags.

3. Olive oil:

The easiest and most environmentally friendly method you’d ever witness. Just put 2-3 drops on the bottle tags and stickers and let them set for a while. After some minutes, you can easily see the titles coming off; for more stubborn tags, you can also scrape them off using a razor blade or knife. After taking it all out, wash the bottles with soap and water to remove the excess oil.

4. Hair dryer:

Heat works best for oil and glue. Removing the sticky tags from your unused candle jars using a hair dryer or heat gun would be a great idea. Just turn on your hair dryer at high speed and run it back and forth in front of the tag on the candle jar. Then you can easily take it off. If some of it is still stuck, use the hairdryer again for 30 seconds, and you’re good to go.

5. Vinegar:

You probably heard about the magic of vinegar in removing hard and old sticky stains from your toilet or kitchen. Try using vinegar by pouring it into a big bowl, and dip the candle jars whose tags you want to take off in the bowl. Let the jars be in the vinegar for a while. After some minutes, you’d see the labels and stickers coming off magically.

Top Ways to Reuse Candle Wax

After removing all the leftover wax from your candle jar, do you wonder what you can do with the leftover wax? Of course, wax has its pros and uses, especially beeswax, soy, or coconut. After all, you’ve spent plenty of money on the candles, so why not recycle the candle jar and wax? Let’s look at the following ways to help you reuse candle wax once the wicks have run out.

1. Use as tea lights:

Surprisingly you can use every last drop of your leftover wax to form tealights. It would be best if you had inexpensive metal or plastic containers. Now pour the leftover melted wax from your jar into the container. You can use tealights for various purposes, especially for decoration. Now you can make an ordinary dinner magical with a wide-mouth glass bowl filled with water with floating tealights. Try using some essential oils to diffuse a familiar pleasant smell.

2. Mosquito rebuffer:

Are you worried about those tiny beasts swarming around your home and making it impossible to sleep peacefully at night? We’ve got an easy and cost-free solution for you. Of course, you can always go for the mosquito repeller creams and ointments, but why not go for something cost-free? Try using a citronella essential oil readily available from any online store. You can diffuse some drops into your newly formed tealight and use it as a mosquito repeller.

3. Twisted candles :

Do you have some leftover candles at home which are no longer usable or don’t look fresh or pretty? Don’t worry; we’ve got your back. Put your old and unusable candles into hot water and press them using a rolling pin from the middle. As the candle is still soft with the boiled water, try twisting the candles to make a swirl, and voila, you’re done!

4. DIY mini candles:

What’s the best way to reuse the old leftover wax to make it another candle? Yes, melt all the leftover candles in a pan and pour the heated wax into paper cups or a baking tray. Please put it in the freezer to accelerate the process. Don’t forget to insert a wick and some essential oils for a breathy aroma. Light these beautiful miniature candles in your backyard and make any ordinary event regal and fancy.

5. Make crayons for your kids:

Don’t throw away the multicolored leftover wax from your empty candle jars. You can use them by adding color pigments, popsicles, and crayon molds to make some crayons for your little ones. Are you confused? Here, look at how to reuse the leftover wax to form funky and fragrant crayons.

7 Ideas to Recycle the Candle Jar

Now that all the candles are burnt out, it’s all you and the empty candle jars. What can you do with them? The good news is that glass can be recycled and reused easily. Follow our easy guide to make the best of these empty candle jars.

1. Use as flower pots:

The most valuable and best way to reuse a candle jar is to plant some flowers and mini succulent plants in these candle jars. It will be both aesthetically appealing and environmentally friendly. Try your artsy skills by using some glass paint to decorate those jars.

2. A whole new candle:

Another economic use of these candle jars is that you can make a new candle out of the leftover wax from some other candle jar. Melt any deformed or unusable candle or leftover candle waxes and pour them into an empty candle jar to form a new candle. Don’t forget to add a wick.

3. Add a tealight:

Make that ordinary glass jar into a unique piece for decoration by adding a tealight inside an empty candle jar. You can place it on a coffee or dining table for magical attire. If you want to be creative, add some sea salt, pebbles, or rocks as a base, and then add a tealight.

4. Stationery holder:

The best thing about glass jars is that they are visually appealing and sturdy for holding objects. Ever wondered where all the stationery goes, especially when we need it most? Now you can use these candle jars as stationery holders, whether it be arts or crafts stuff or everyday stationery like a pencil or pen, all in one place.

5. Candy jars:

Do you want to be the favorite aunt or uncle of the family, the one who always keeps treats for their niblings? Now you can have all the assorted candies in one place. Use these empty candle jars as candy holders and place them on the kitchen counter or dining table as a special treat for your loved ones.

6. Toiletries:

The best way to be organized is to sort all your toiletries, like cotton swabs, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, soft cotton balls, etc., in separate empty candle jars. Make your bathrooms spacious, clean, and beautiful with these delicate and gorgeous candle jars.

7. Pet treats:

Give your pets a special treat by placing all their goodies in a single place. So you won’t forget where you put them, especially when you need them most. Be organized by placing them on the kitchen counter, the top of the fridge, or wherever you can easily find them.

5 Tips on Preventing Your Candles From Getting Dirty

Lighting candles add creativity and beauty to your room. Candles can illuminate any event and make it look classy; it’s affordable and regal. But the reality is, it’s tough to maintain and clean them. Here, look at some handy tips for taking care of and keeping your candles.

1. Trim the wicks:

Let’s learn the science; the longer the wick, the shorter the candle’s lifespan. Trim the wicks of your candle; the wick length should be one-fourth inch high. A right wick length will give you a bright and less smokey burn and is also suitable for the candle’s life span.

2. Keep it clean:

Always keep your candle rim clean from matchsticks, wicks, or dust, as these things affect the lifespan and wicks of a candle. This debris would also affect the burning of wicks and refrain from diffusing scents or essential oils.

3. For the first time, burn it longer:

If you’re lighting a candle for the first time, burn it longer and complete, from rim to rim. It’s because the wax has a memory, and if you don’t burn it frequently, it’ll burn more than the circumference of the previous candle’s rim. Hence it’ll burn the wick deeper and deeper within the candle rim, leaving the sides of the candles; this shortens and damages your candle’s lifespan and shape.

4. Let the candle cool down:

Always let your candle cool down for approximately 2 hours before lightening it up again. Even if you’re trying to trim down its wick, ensure it’s cooled, as that might affect the shape of candles. It might burn your hands as well.

5. Cool and dry place:

Put your candles in a cool and dry place, and use a clean and dry cloth to keep the debris off the candles’ rim. Avoid lightning near a fan or heater as this would spread the scoot and burning smell and adversely affects the candle’s life span.

Conclusion

Whether it be a formal dinner, birthday event, or a casual romantic dinner, using candle jars for your event makes it looks pretty and easy on the pocket. Like candles, candle jars are inexpensive, reusable, and easy to clean. We hope our guide about maintaining and cleaning candle jars has helped you in taking care of and recycling your unused candle jars. Have you tried some other ways to clean your candle jars? Let us know in the comments below.