Are you looking for simple tips on how to get wax out of a candle jar? These easy tricks will teach you not only how to remove wax from a candle jar but also how to clean candle jars properly so that they can be repurposed.
HOW TO CLEAN OUT A CANDLE JAR
Finding a way to clean out a candle jar is truly a sanity-saving process. Since candles can be quite pricey when you think about how much they cost compared to how fast they burn, it’s a good idea to figure out a way to remove wax from the candle jar. Even though you may not be doing much with the wax that you’re going to remove, it will still give you one last scent that you love AND give you a perfectly reusable jar to use for something else!
Instead of tossing your empty candle jars in the trash, find ways to repurpose and reuse them in other ways around your home. All you have to do is figure out how to remove the candle wax from the jar first.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME TO CLEAN THE WAX OUT OF THE JAR?
This is all a balancing act. As long as your wick can still be lit, your candle should be good to burn. Once you notice that the wick isn’t staying lit, it’s a good time to clean out the jar.
Typically, there will be about 1/2 inch or so of wax at the bottom of the jar to cleanout. This should give you a reasonable guesstimate of how much wax you’ll need to clean out once it’s time.
SUPPLIES TO CLEAN CANDLE JARS
Here are some supplies that might be helpful:
- Homemade Goo Gone – It’s a good cleaner that can remove stains any gunk.
- Dish Soap – Soap will help to clear away anything left over so that your candle jar is sparkly clean.
- Scrub Brush – This will help scrub away the wax.
- Abrasive Sponge – Use some elbow grease and see what you can do.
- Bottle Scrub Brush – If the candle jar is small, this will help clean areas that are difficult to come clean. This one is great as it includes a set of five different sizes.
How to Get Wax Out of Candle Jar | 4 Tricks that Work!
There are 4 different tricks to getting wax out of a candle jar. While one might work better than another at times, using these four wax cleaning options will result in the cleanest jars.
1. Remove the Candle Wax by Freezing It
Your freezer can be a huge help when it comes to removing leftover candle wax. Clear a space in your freezer, and put your candle jar upside down. (You can place a baking sheet in the freezer as a base then turn the candle upside down to keep it level.) Leave it that way for a couple of hours so that the wax becomes nice and hard.
Once you take the jar out of the freezer, you should be able to use a butter knife or similar tool to break up the wax into large pieces. You can then use dish soap and water (hot water) to clean out the rest of the candle jar to make it sparkle and shine.
2. Use Hot Water to Melt the Leftover Wax
Grab a larger bowl and fill it will hot tap water. Once the bowl is about 3/4 full, take your candle jar and put it into the water. The jar is going to float, so place a heavy waterproof item on the candle mouth rim to hold the bottom of the candle jar down into the water.
Allow the jar soak for 15 minutes – 20 minutes or so and then check on it. If the water was hot enough, it should have melted the wax, and it should be in liquid form.
You can then dump the melted wax in the trash and start to clean out the jar. (Make sure never to dump hot wax down the sink!)
3. Simmer the Candle Jar on the Stove
Grab a large pot in the kitchen and place it on the stove. Put your candle jar in the pot and fill the pot with water. Not too full, but about 3/4 the height of the jar. (You don’t want the water to boil up so high that it gets into the jar!)
Heat the water on medium-high heat until simmering, and all the wax is melted. Once you notice that it’s melted, remove from heat and dump out the wax in the trash. (Make certain you put on your oven mitt first before touching the jar!)
4. Remove the Wax with Goo Gone
This step works best to remove the residue that remains in the jar once the wax has been removed. You can take a dab of the goo gone, rub it around on the inside of the candle jar, and wash with warm water. In no time at all, the candle jar will be clean, shiny, and free of any leftover wax residue!
How to use the leftover wax
If you can’t justify tossing out leftover wax once you have removed it from the jar, there are ways you can use it.
- Combine leftover wax to make a new candle.
- Give yourself a fun mini manicure by using leftover wax on your cuticles. Simply peel it off once it dries.
- Let the kiddos drizzle melted wax around on some paper to make a fun new art craft. Just have a paper towel handy to clean up.
Ways to repurpose a candle jar
Now that you have the candle jar clean, it’s time to use it! Some ways that you can repurpose and reuse your candle jar are as follows:
- Use it to store Q-tips
- A makeup brush holder
- Use it as a fun vase for fresh flowers
- Store buttons for sewing
And the list could go on and on! Anything that you want to store in a clean glass jar is totally up to you!
Now that you’ve learned how to get wax out of a candle jar, what are you going to store in the jar?
More Ways To Reuse Candle Jars:
- 20 Things To Do With Recycled Candle Jars
- 10 Clever Ways To Upcycle Your Empty Candle Jars
- How To Make Homemade Candles