How to Clean a Candle

There's lots of advice out there on how to clean your candle holders and get wax out of the carpet, but what if you want to clean the dust and grime from the candle itself? Restoring the wax to its original beauty is not as hard as you might think.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• An old pair of nylons or knee-high hosiery.
• A long-tipped barbecue lighter.
• A spoon.
• A paper towel
• A small pair of scissors

1. Take the candle out of its holder, if possible. It's okay if it's made into the jar or holder. No need to pry it out.

2. Use the pair of old nylons or knee-high socks as a dust cloth. Start with the outside of a bare candle and move to the top surface where the wick is. Rub the candle vigorously with the nylons.

3. Place the barbecue lighter tip near the top surface of the candle, near the wick. Ignite the flame and wave it back and forth over the surface. This will loosen any dust or dirt that's become ground in.

4. Scoop out any larger pieces of debris with the spoon. You can also scrape the very top of the candles surface with the spoon to remove any ground in grime.

5. Wipe the now soft top surface of the candle with the paper towel to remove any dirt that's left and restore its smooth texture.

6. Trim any excess wick with your scissors, light the candle, and enjoy.

Tips & Warnings

• Regular nylons work much better than tights or socks. The mesh surface gets the dirt out of the wax without as much elbow grease.
• Never attempt to clean a candle that is already lit.