How to Use Leftover Candles to Make New Ones

When people who regularly use candles, there's a lot of wasted candle wax when the candles burn down and there is an inch or so left. They usually get thrown away. Most people assume that once the candle has burned down to that point, throwing them away is all you can do but that simply is not true. You can actually take these small pieces of wax and make brand new candles.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Several old candles that you don’t plan on using again
• Two pans, one of which you plan to only use to make candles from now on
• Glass containers
• Wicks
• A hot glue gun
• Scissors
• A knife

1. Boil water in the good pan you'll be keeping.

2. Decide if you want candles that are relatively the same color or if you want multi-colored candles, which can be very cool. Then select from the old candles accordingly.

3. Using your knife, cut up the chosen candles. You don’t have to use all of them, rather use just enough to have enough wax to make one candle this first time.

4. Put the candles-only pan inside the first pan that the water is boiling in.

5. Add the wax from the cut-up candles into the second pan.

6. While the wax is melting, hot glue one end of the wick into whatever glass container you’ve chosen to put your candle in.

7. Retrieve the second pan once the wax has melted and is in liquid form. While holding the wick straight up with the other hand, pour the melted wax into the glass container.

8. Allow the wax to get solid and then trim the wick. You’ve made your first candle from used up candles.

Tips & Warnings

• Don’t worry if the wick is really long when you first glue gun it to the container. This is normal and will make it easier for you to hold it up when you pour the hot wax into the container.
• Hot glue ribbons, beads or other decorations to the candle container. These make great gifts.
• You don’t have to buy candle containers new and you should be able to find tons of containers at thrift stores and garage sales.
• Use wicks that have a zinc core, as these work best when you are making your own candles.
• Cut off the end where the metal plate is and don’t use that piece if your old candles have them.
• Add shells, stones or beads to the container before pouring the wax. This can look especially cool if you arrange the items along the edges of the container where they will be visible.
• Make sure that the lip of the second pan is higher than the lip of the first pan, otherwise water will get into the wax and ruin it.
• Make sure that the glass containers you choose have thick rather than thin glass, otherwise the glass can crack when you pour the hot wax into it.