How To Get Wax Out of a Candle Jar

2 Materials
1 Hour
Easy

The easy way to get wax out of a candle jar so you can reuse it!


Do you have any candle jars around your house that don’t have enough wax left in them to burn properly but you just hate to get rid of them?


In the past, after the holidays I would have a few candles that I would burn through and I would ultimately store the candle jars back in with my other Christmas items which, I know, is pretty silly since I knew I would never use them again.

One day, though, I thought what the heck, and I tried this simple trick that’s so easy to do and offers a great way to repurpose glass candle jars.

While this method is different from the method I use to remove labels from glass jars, it’s another great way to repurpose jars and recycle them. It’s all about finding new ways to live a more sustainable life, right? 🙂


So, now, on to the nitty gritty details.


Candle Jars that Work the Best for This

  • Wide-mouthed candle jars work the best. The wide mouth allows for a safer process when adding boiling water and makes it easier to remove the wax at the end of the process.
  • Jars that aren’t too deep are another preferred choice since you will be putting your hand in the jar and you don’t want to get it stuck.


The Easy Trick to Get Wax Out of a Candle Jar

Supplies:


Pot Holder or other heat resistant surface


Tea kettle



Procedure: Remove lid and place jar on to potholder.

Boil water and gently pour into the container leaving a bit of space at the top of the jar.

The boiling water will melt the candle wax and cause it to float to the top of the jar. This is actually pretty fun to watch!


Allow the water to cool completely before removing the wax.

To remove the wax simply poke at the edge of the hardened wax and it should pop out.


Once the wax is out, drain the water and clean up the jar with soap and water or Goo Gone or try one of the methods in this post to remove labels from jars.


What to Do With the Candle Jar Once It’s Free of Wax

Once the jar is clean and dry use it to store:


  • Office supplies (push pins, paperclips, rubber bands, etc.)
  • Ribbon, yarn, jewelry making supplies in the craft room
  • Baking supplies
  • Cotton balls, scrunchies, hair bands, bobby pins, q-tips, and more.


If you have an idea not on the list I would love for you to share it with me.

Resources for this project:
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Mary Beth @ The How to Home
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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 2 comments
  • Talia Talia on Jun 18, 2021

    What an awesome idea and it so much easier than I expected! I think will use my old candle jars to propagate my plants. I have tons of candles so maybe I can save all the old wax and make a brand new candle! Thanks for the creative and sustainable idea, keep them coming. 👏

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