DIY Wax Melts From Used Candles!
If you like candles like I do, you end up with tons of mostly burnt candles. That last inch of wax just seems to turn into melted wax over, and over, and over. Then I worry that if I keep burning that candle it will end up breaking the glass if it gets too hot all the way around. This results in me eventually throwing them out… with perfectly good wax left in them!
I’ve had my wax melter for about 3 years now and it took me this long to realize that that last inch of melted wax is liquid gold for my wax melter. Those packs of wax melts can be expensive if you keep buying them over time. Plus, do you ever really like the scent of your candle and wish you had wax melts the same scent? I finally found a solution to all of this.
Note: Please take proper precautionary measures when working with hot wax, lit candles, simmering water, etc. Be sure to use oven mitts if necessary.
This is one of the easiest DIY’s I’ve ever done. The wax melts don’t even need to be fancy. You can see in my pictures I shaped them like pumpkins because I happened to have a silicone tray in the shape of pumpkins (you can find a similar one here) but any shape will do. You really don’t need much to accomplish this DIY. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Mostly gone candle (about an inch or less of wax in the bottom, totally melted
- Paper towels
- Silicone mold (or any kind of dish, jar, etc. – something to pour the wax into, don’t use plastic, it can melt)
These candles I’m using are my FAVORITE scent from Yankee Candle, Sugared Cinnamon Apple, you can find them here.
That’s it, I told you you didn’t need much. Okay, let’s get down to business.
Step 1: Obtain Melted Wax
If your candle isn’t already completely melted or in a fully liquid state, you could let it burn until the wax melts all the way.
Be sure to use caution if using this method because some glass can break when the candle gets to the end.
If you don’t want to burn it to the end, you can also use a double boiler method on the stove top.
- Place a washcloth in the bottom of a pot
- Place the candles in the pot on top of the wash cloth
- Fill the pot with water until the water line is above the remaining wax but below the tops of the candles
- Simmer the water, leaving the candles there until the wax is fully melted
DO NOT microwave your candle. Many candles have metal at the base of the wick and we do not want to damage any microwaves or cause any fires.
Step 2: Prepare to Pour
Get your silicone mold or other vessel ready (not plastic, it might melt…). I put a paper towel under mine in case I spilled any wax, you could also use a cardboard box, a piece of newspaper or printer paper, etc. You have to do this step while the wax is completely melted and thus hot.
The candle glass may be hot so this is where I would suggest wearing oven mitts. You can see in the picture that I did not wear oven mitts when I was pouring this second, larger candle because the glass was not as hot, but I did use them for my first, smaller candle because the glass was too hot to hold. Use your best judgement.
Step 3: Pour!
Carefully pour the wax out of the candle into your mold filling it mostly to the top. I chose not to overfill my molds and not to include the little stem of the pumpkin shape because I thought it would probably just break off.
If you don’t have a mold to use, feel free to pour it onto a shallow plate or into a pan or something like that and spread it flat with a plastic knife to give it some texture. Once it hardens that way, you can just break it into 1″ pieces. Now the hard part…
Step 4: Wait…
You’ll need to let the wax cool down before you remove it from the mold otherwise it’ll be gooey and not hold its shape or stay together.
While I wait, I used paper towels to wipe out the wax coat left in the candle until the jar is clean.
Make sure the candle is out and you have no more embers on the wick before you touch it with paper towels or throw it away. I blow the candle out, wait a minute for it to cool, pull the wick out, and rinse it under water before I throw it to be safe, we wouldn’t want our trash cans catching fire!
As you can see in the pictures, I wiped out my candle jars until they were completely free of wax and wicks, thereby making them great storage containers for our new wax melts!
Step 5: Wait some more…
Once the wax melts are cool to the touch and appear somewhat hardened, I pop them out of the silicone mold. They are not completely cooled and hardened yet, so I’ve left them on a paper towel to cool the rest of the way. If you are looking to cool them down and harden them faster, you can place them in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
Step 6: Store them
Once the wax melts are completely cooled, it’s time to store them. As you can see from the picture, I opted to store mine back in one of the candle holders that the wax came from so I know what scent they are. Toss your newly made wax melts in the jar and you’re done! Use these yourself OR think about giving a jar of them as a gift to a friend or family member, I know I would love little wax melts shaped like pumpkins. 🎃
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