Today I am going to show you how to remove candle wax from old candle jars. Recently I purchased a few box lots at auction and I did an unopening video on YouTube. Watch that HERE. When I bid on the boxed lots you could only see what was on top because everything else was wrapped in paper. One of the boxes was full of old used candles!
While I did throw away some of the candles, I decided other candle jars or votives were cute enough that someone might want to repurpose them!
Removing the Wax
There are several methods for removing wax from old candle jars, but I chose the hot water technique. You don’t want the water boiling—just hot. My tap water is hot enough that I don’t need to microwave or heat it on the stove.
You can simply set the candles in your sink and fill them with hot water from the faucet. Or place the candles on a plate—or in my case, a jelly roll pan—and pour the hot water into them.
For this large batch of candles, I did end up putting the tray of old candles into the oven at 275°F. I checked on them every 5 minutes or so. You’ll know the candles are ready when the wax rises to the top of the jar and the water settles at the bottom.
Let the water cool a bit before working with the candle jars. One reason is that the water can burn your hands. Another reason is that, for jars with smaller amounts of wax, allowing the water to cool helps the wax solidify, making it easier to remove because it’s firm.
Once the jars are cool enough to handle, take a knife and work it around the edge of the candle to loosen the wax from the glass. Then, either scoop up the wax from there or tip the solidified wax and then pull it wax out.
If the candle jar has a unique shape, you may need to break the wax into smaller pieces to remove it. Once cooled, the wax should be easy to cut into chunks. If the wax is still warm, it may just flex and come out in one piece.
Watch Me Remove The Candle Wax
What I Learned
This method is so easy! I’ve thrown away so many old candles that I could have cleaned and repurposed. Now that I know how simple it is, I feel like a whole new world has opened up!
The only negative experience I had was with tall, skinny prayer candles. It took a lot of effort to remove the wax, and I ruined some in the process. Some of the outer coatings were damaged from sitting in hot water, and some of the inside paint got scratched while I tried prying the wax out.
So, while I’d happily clean out a small candle jar, I’ll pass on doing any that are long and skinny like these.
You also have to be careful with smaller jars that have coatings or paint inside. For example, I had a red candle jar where the inner coating chipped off just from the water and eventually separated completely from the glass. It works fine as a clear jar, but if you want to keep the original coating, I wouldn’t recommend using the hot water technique.
Before & Afters
My Favorites
The reason I bid on this boxed lot was because there was one Santa mug revealed! I lucked out and a second one was uncovered as I unpacked the box. Watch the video to see how I cleaned up the Santa mugs.
Repurpose Those Candle Jars
Wether you are looking to repurpose candle jars for yourself, to sell, or to fill with a new candle, this method is nice and easy. I will personally stop passing up yucky old candles when I love their container!!
This post may contain affiliate links for the products I use and recommend. I am not paid to promote these products. If you purchase using my affiliate links, I could make a small commission at no charge to you.
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