How To Repurpose Candle Jars? Ultimate Guide

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
21 min read

What to deal with the old candle jars that have burned out is a common question among candle lovers. The majority of jars made of clear soda-lime glass (the most common type of glass) may be recycled, however some candles utilize different types of glass to boost heat resistance or to add dyes to give the glass an attractive appearance.

Before discarding or recycling old candle jars, they should be utilized in the home. Rather than throwing away perfectly good candle jars, here are 25 creative ideas for repurposing them.

How To Clean Leftover Wax From Candle Jars

The Freezer Method

When candle wax is frozen, it becomes brittle and can be readily removed from the container by hand. Place the old candle holder in the freezer for a few hours to begin. Use a knife to gently pry away the remaining wax once it has thawed and frozen. Wipe up any stray particles using a paper towel dampened with warm water. Use this technique for candles manufactured from Parrafin wax or Beeswax for best results.

Repurpose Your Candle Jars With This Easy Trick (DIY Storage Jars)

The Double Boiler / Bain Marie Method

The double boiler procedure can be used to remove tenacious wax residue. Filling a bowl with boiling water, and then placing the candle container in it for a few minutes, is how this approach works. The wax on the interior of the container will be melted by the heat from the boiling water.

The wax will soften once removed from the water, so handle it with care. Afterwards, the jar can be cleaned with warm water and soap.

The Wash & Go Method

Soy Wax candles, which have a low melting point, are ideal for this procedure. To begin, use a sharp knife to scrape away any remaining wax. Simply fill the container with hot tap water and soap, then scrub the interior with a stiff brush. Voila!

Things To Bear In Mind

Remove The Wick Holder

Take out the wick holder after you’ve removed all the wax. A sharp knife can be used to free it if it’s stuck. Even if it won’t come out easily, a little boiling water typically works.

Save Thin Containers

Use a hairdryer on high heat to remove the wax in long, thin containers before scraping it out with an old chop stick.

Keep The Old Wax

There are a variety of uses for old wax, so it’s often a good idea to save it. Sign up for our email so you don’t miss out on any future blog posts that we have planned!

A Word Of Warning

Fragile?

Wash & Go Method is slower, but you’re less likely to shatter the container if you’re concerned about its fragility.

No Drains

Never flush melted wax down the toilet. A clog is likely to form in the pipe if it cools and hardens.

Don’t Overheat

Glass containers should never be heated to a high temperature. If the jar becomes too heated, the glass could burst. To avoid splintering the container, only utilize procedures that don’t put the jar at risk, such freezing the wax or pouring boiling water into the container.

Don’t Microwave

For the love of all that is holy, don’t ever microwave wax in an old candle jar. For safety reasons, it is recommended that you do not use any metal parts to hold the candle’s wick in place in your microwave.

Great Ways To Reuse And Recycle Your Old Candle Containers

All of the exquisitely fragranced wax has vaporized over several evenings of cozy enjoyment, leaving you with nothing but the empty vessel of your favorite scented candle. You’re infatuated with the container as much as you are with the perfume it once released.

No need to panic, there are a number of creative methods to repurpose unused scented candle canisters.

A few of our favorite ways to repurpose candles after following our cleaning guidelines are shown below:.

Turn Candle Jars Into Plant Pots

Old perfumed candle jars make excellent new homes for your newest green friend. We have so many old candle jars now because of our new craze for succulents and pretty much any other plant you can think of.

Most people choose amber or coloured glass candle jars for planting because of the necessity to use brown soil, although transparent jars are ideal for growing in water.

Tidy Your Vanity Area

Upcycling your favorite fragrant candle jars is a great way to keep your beauty area neat and tidy. For make-up brushes, eyeliner, and pencils, use larger candle holders; for cotton pads or bobby pins, use the smaller candle containers.

Pencil Pots For Your Desk

Our desk is likely to be filled with candles, therefore it only seems natural that when the wax runs out, we’ll utilize the jars to hold our stationery!

Keep Your Candle Matches Tidy

Matches, it turns out, may be very lovely. Keep your colorful or scented matches in a jar from an old candle for a special treat.

A Vase For Flowers

We all enjoy receiving bouquets of flowers and lit candles in our homes. Using your old candles into containers for fresh flowers is a great way to repurpose them and save money.

Repurpose Your Candle Jars With This Easy Trick - [RuixinGlass]

What to Do With Old Candle Jars? 25 Ideas

1. Prep and Store Food

Glass candle jars can be used to store food like salads and overnight oats until the next day. Keeping the liquid in the bottom of the jar, such as a salad dressing, ensures that other items won’t become soggy as you eat.

2. Reduce Plastic Use When You Shop

A plastic bag is the most common method of transporting bulk goods from the supermarket to the customer’s home. In addition to dry products, many additional foods can be stored in a jar at home, including meat and cheese.

3. Make a Window Garden

Small window gardens are perfect for candle jars without lids. To re-grow food scraps like green onion, celery and other green veggies as well as bean sprouts, all you need to do is put them in a jar of water and let them soak.

4. Ferment Whatever Your Heart Desires

As long as the glass is food-safe, glass candle jars with lids like the ones seen above are perfect for fermentation. A wide variety of kimchis, sauerkrauts, and fire ciders are all good choices. A kombucha scoby can be stored in a big jar without a lid if cheesecloth is used to cover it.

5. Freeze Stocks, Soups, and Smoothies

Most importantly, when freezing glass jars, make sure there is enough room at the top for the contents to expand as they freeze. The possibilities with wide-mouth jars are virtually limitless.

6. Make Homemade Balm or Lip Gloss

Using candle tins makes it easy to make handmade balms with beeswax, shea butter, and/or other natural ingredients like essential oils. Bath salts and dried herbs for soaking in the bath can also be stored in recycled candle jars, as can other DIY beauty goods.

7. Create a New Candle

If the scents don’t conflict too much, combining the leftover wax into new candles is an option for reusing all of your candles’ wax and the jars themselves. The wax from cooked candle jars can be collected on a baking sheet for simple cleanup.

8. Keep Catnip Treats on Hand

Toys infused with catnip are a cat’s best friend. Take one or two little cloth cat toys (little mice work nicely) and place them in a jar with catnip that has been sealed. Serve your cat the mixture once it has been shaken thoroughly.

9. Decorate the Table

You may use decorative glass jars to dress up dining tables, bookcases, and other furniture in your home. Dried flowers, pine cones, and pine needles are all natural ways to give a lovely smell to your space.

10. Turn Jars Into Painted Votives

Candle jars that have been cleaned and repurposed into votives can be painted by artists. Use paint that can withstand high temperatures.

11. Make a Cake Jar

When piled in individual serving jars, certain varieties of sweets can find new life in the limelight of fine dining. Trifle or banana pudding dishes, for example, can benefit from this.

12. Organize the Bathroom

Old jars can also be used to store bathroom essentials like Q-tips, cotton balls, and hair ties. Additionally, grouping related goods in jars will make it easier to stay organized.

13. Store Tinctures and Herbs

There are numerous health benefits of using tinctures. While ulcers can cause discomfort and burning sensations, using a chamomile extract can alleviate these symptoms, according to research in a journal of dentistry. 1 A physician should be consulted before any tincture is given or used for medical purposes.

14. Preserve Lemons

Lemons, salt, and a glass jar are all you need to make lemon preserves. For about a month, brine will protect the lemons from deterioration and keep them fresh as long as the liquid level remains above the lemons. Add a briny, citrusy zest to your salad dressing or seafood by sprinkling it on top. When citrus is in season, this is a fantastic way to use it up.

15. Extend the Shelf Life of Loose Teas and Spices

Glass jars with tight-sealing lids can extend the shelf life of teas, dried herbs, and spices purchased in bulk or in plastic packaging. When placed in clear glass, whole-leaf teas can enhance the look of any kitchen.

16. Collect a Set of Eclectic Drinkware

Sustainable people are increasingly resorting to recycled glass jars, particularly when it comes to bringing drinks on the move. Cold brew or iced tea can be transported to work in an old candle jar with a lid and stored in the refrigerator in the same container.

How To Repurpose Your Old Candle Jars and Holders | Prosperity Candle

17. Make Your Own Bitters

For generations, bitters have been used in cocktails and mocktails to enhance flavor and give them a distinct peppery kick. It’s a good idea to have a dropper to add them to drinks because they’re used so rarely.

18. Grow Plants From Seed

Small jars can be used to house seedlings before their roots get too big and they need to be transplanted into a larger container. Plant roots can rot if you leave them grow in jars for an extended period of time, unless your plants prefer damp feet.

19. Organize Your Desk

Pencils, pencil sharpeners, and other office equipment can be housed in a jar for easy access.

20. Sustainably Give Homemade Gifts

Reusing old jars for homemade presents like cookies, granola, and spiced nuts is a more environmentally friendly option than purchasing new containers. Personal labels and ribbon or string placed around the jar’s lid offer a personal touch.

21. Keep Leftover Grease

A jar of rendered bacon fat is a necessity for any serious rural cook. Bacon vinaigrette, while not a healthful choice of fat to cook with, is worth having some extra fat on hand for.

22. Declutter Your Junk Drawer

Batteries, nails, screws, and money all store well in old glass candle jars. The added benefit of being able to clearly see what’s within clear jars is obvious.

23. Make Jams and Curds

Jams, jellies, preserves, and curds can be stored in old jars. Because re-used jars cannot be hermetically sealed, these items should be kept in the refrigerator (unless its a Mason-style jar and you purchase a new ring and flat lid).

24. Build a Terrarium

There are many different types of closed terrariums that may be made out of old candle jars that have lids. Make sure to gather your moss in a sustainable manner and to clean off any bugs that may arise.

25. Steam Eggs

What if you don’t have any Korean earthenware pots in your kitchen? Instead of using a microwave, you can use a stovetop steamer to cook eggs in sealed glass jars.

FAQs

Is it safe to reuse candle jars?

Cleaning out and repurposing an old glass candle jar is a simple and cost-effective project. Two procedures that do not necessitate the use of special equipment can be used to remove wax and any remaining wicks. To repot succulents, keep office supplies in order, or display jewelry in an old candle jar, you can recycle the jar.

Do you throw away old candle jars?

Candle wax, on the other hand, cannot be recycled and should instead be disposed of in the rubbish. There are other ways to repurpose candle wax, including melting all of the leftover chunks into a new candle.

How can I reuse a candle without a wick?

Fill your candles with boiling water or heat the water once it’s already inside and watch the wax bubble to the top as the heat melts it down to its core. A simple press of your hand will cause the wax to burst out of the mold, which you may then use in any way that suits your needs.

What do you do with empty Yankee Candle jars?

A Yankee Candle Perfect Pillar jar can be turned into a cupcake liner. Remove the remaining wax and all stickers from the candle when it has done burning. Put the liners in once you’ve washed it. There are now more than 290 liners in there.

Can old candles be melted and reused into new candles?

Yes, that’s what I’m getting at. A fresh candle can easily be made by melting down the remaining wax and pouring it into a new votive. Make certain that all of the waxes you use are of the same type (beeswax, paraffin, or soy).

Conclusion on How to Repurpose Candle Jars

Your candle jars don’t have to go to waste after you’ve used up all of your wax. There are numerous ways to repurpose candle jars if you’re stumped on what to do with them. Consider implementing some of these suggestions when it comes to redecorating your home.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

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