How to Make Some Incense Sticks

Make homemade incense sticks.

Incense is composed of aromatic biotic materials that release fragrant smoke when burned. It comes in various forms. Incense has been used since Biblical times and comes in a wide variety of scents. Incense sticks are beautiful to keep in the house or to use as gifts wrapped in homemade boxes. Stored in tightly covered plastic containers, incense can last for decades. One trip to a candle making or herbal store will help you collect all the ingredients you need to make incense sticks.

Things You'll Need

• Diluted fragrance oil
• Liquid solvent (DPG)
• Large glass or HDP plastic container
• Sticks
• Plastic tipped tongs
• Screen or drying rack
• Disposable towels
• Electric fan

Instructions

1. Mix one part fragrance oil to three parts DPG in a glass or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic container. Stir the mixture thoroughly. Continue to mix the DPG and fragrance for about 10 minutes.

2. Add the sticks into the mixture and allow to soak in the mixture overnight. This mixture can make many sticks of incense so put in as many sticks as you can.

3. Lay the disposable towels under the drying rack or screen. Make sure that the drying rack is in an area where it will not be disturbed and the whole area is well-ventilated.

4. Take out the soaked sticks using the tongs and lay them on the drying rack or screen. Make sure the sticks are not touching each other or overlapping. Let the sticks dry for at least 48 hours. Wet or damp incense will not burn. You can use an electric fan to help dry the sticks faster, but do not use heat.

5. Feel the sticks to make sure that they are dry. You can burn one stick as a test to be sure. Feel each stick and make sure that they are not wet before you store them. Make sure each stick does not have any damp or wet spots. Properly dried incense should burn up to 45 minutes. Store the incense sticks in tightly sealed containers to preserve the fragrance.

Tips & Warnings

• Incense sticks are great sellers in flea markets. If you package the sticks attractively in bundles and sell them you can earn a lot of money.

• Do not allow incense to dry in an unventilated room and do not sleep in a room with drying sticks.

References

• Candle Supply: How to Make Incense