I can be a hoarder. There I admitted it. My supplier to my hoarder condition is basically any candle manufacturer, but most commonly used would be that of Bath and Body Works!
My household gets so annoyed with all of the used candles that I just keep in the closet. Why do I keep them you may wonder? Well its because I love the smell. Yes even after their done. When the “trash” is in a closed area that area is filled with aromatic euphoria.
Unfortunately its also a cluttered mess. So in order to keep the peace in my home I came up with a benefit and usable solution for everyone in the house. The Reusable Jar!
Thanks to pinterest and Malia industry mom and creator of the craft site Yesterday on Tuesday, I now know how to change my “trashed” used candle into a usable convenient work of art. Check out how Malia taught me how to change my old into new.
If you have a hoarding obsession that needs a trash to treasure type fix then the DIY section is for you. Stay tuned for more fun turn arounds that makes obsessions into master pieces.
THE EASIEST WAY TO REMOVE WAX FROM A GLASS JAR CANDLE
THE EASIEST WAY TO REMOVE WAX FROM A GLASS JAR CANDLE
My name is Malia and I’m addicted to candles. There, I said it! I fuel my habit at Bath and Body Works. Their 3-wick candles come in an array of amazing scents and gorgeous colors. They tend to be a little on the expensive side but if you stalk the store (I mean if you frequently visit the shop) and have a little patience, you can find great deals like “buy one, get one free” or 50% off. Since they are usually priced at $22.50, that’s a steal!
Part of the appeal of the candles to me are the packaging. I love the glass jars and the lids which change seasonally. Here are my before candles. They were literally down to the an inch or so of wax.
Isn’t this lid the cutest? It would be a shame to toss it. So I set out to save these awesome glass jars and lids. And a few failed experiments later, I’ve discovered the the EASIEST way to get rid of the old wax so you can put these jars to use in a fresh way.
Supplies: Glass Jar Candles, boiling hot water, a butter knife (maybe one you don’t care about!) and Goo Gone. You’ll also want to have kitchen tongs on hand.
You’ll know when it’s time to recycle your jar when you go to light your candle and it turns into about an inch of liquid.
1. Make cuts/jabs into the hard wax with the knife. Do NOT try to cut the wax into quarters. This is too hard on the glass and it will break (learned that one the hard way).
2. After you make the cuts, the wax will start breaking into chunks. Keep going until all the wax is broken up. Discard it.
Now you’ll still have the wicks to deal with, as well as wax inside the glass and labels on the side of the jar and the bottom.
Here’s what all the jars looked like after I removed the wax chunks.
3. Boil some water (I filled a measuring cup with water and popped it in the microwave until it was boiling) and pour 2-3 inches into the glass containers.
4. The hot water will loosen some of the metal wicks. Use salad tongs to grab the ones that need a little extra help. See all that extra wax floating to the top? Pretty darn cool. Pour it in the garbage when the water cools off.
5. Next, peel off the label that’s on the side of the jar.
We’re getting there!
6. Flip the jars over on a rag or old towel and squirt some Goo Gone on the bottom label.
7. Give it a few minutes to saturate the paper, then peel the labels off.
8. Any remaining residue will come off with hot tap water.
Here are the jars– no wax or labels and ready to be used for some new purpose!
Featured Photo courtesy of www.lilypebbles.co.uk