When you’re done with your candle, the last thing you want to do is dispose of the molten wax in a dangerous way for you and the environment. This blog post will teach you how to safely and responsibly dispose of molten candle wax. Follow these simple steps, and you can rest assured that your candles won’t cause any harm!
You should let the wax completely cool and harden before you dispose of the wax in the bin. If you are worried about the environmental impact of disposing of your wax, reuse the wax for other candles. Never dispose of wax down drains or in liquid form.
Below we will review how you can dispose of candles in more detail, including how you can reuse your candle wax for other exciting projects!
How to dispose of melted wax?
- Let the wax cool completely. Once it’s hardened, you can dispose of it in the trash. If you’re worried about the environmental impact of throwing away candles, consider recycling them. You can also reuse the wax to make new candles!
- Second, scrape the wax with a paper towel or old rag. Be sure to dispose of these materials in the trash as well.
- Wipe down the wax’s surface with a damp cloth. This will remove any residue and prevent staining.
- Fourth, if there is any remaining wax on the surface, remove it with a putty knife or razor blade. Be careful not to scratch the surface!
How to remove candle wax from a candle jar?
1. Put the candle wax jar in the freezer
This method allows you to remove the remaining wax from the container easily. Place your candle jar and wax inside your freezer and leave it to freeze overnight. In the morning, remove the candle jar from the freezer and place a kitchen cloth on a work surface. Tip the jar upside down; the wax should fall straight onto the cloth.
This is due to the wax contracting when frozen, meaning the wax will move away from the glass jar. If the wax does not fall out of the jar immediately, you can use two methods to remove the wax. Tap the top of the container with your hand – the wax should fall out. Secondly, use a spoon and place it down the side of the candle. Prise the wax out of the jar onto the cloth. In both cases, as the wax is solid, you can now dispose of the wax in the bin.
2. Remove candle wax with hot water
Place your candle on a heatproof surface. Boil water in a kettle or on a kitchen hob. Pour the boiling water into the container candle and allow the candle to sit in the boiling water. The wax will float to the top of the jar. Now put the plug in your sink. This is a key step as wax should never be disposed of down a drain. There is a risk that the drain will block as the wax cools and solidifies.
Now allow the wax and water to cool so that the wax solidifies. Remove and discard the large parts of wax within the water. Once cooled, strain the water from the jar into the sink basin with the plug in. Dispose of the remaining wax and clean the jar and the sink before reopening the sink plug. You also have the option to place your solidified wax to one side for reuse projects – that we will take about later in the article.
3. Use a hairdryer to remove candle wax
This method is a little more time-consuming than the others. It will require patience as you do not want to crack the container’s glass. Start by tipping the candle upside down on a tray lined with parchment paper. Use a hairdryer on a low or medium heat setting and hold it close to the wax.
The heat from the hairdryer will cause the wax to melt and start to run down the sides of the container. Once the wax has melted, allow the wax to cool on the parchment paper. Remove the wax from the parchment paper and dispose of the wax or place the wax in a safe location to use for new projects.
4. Use a spoon or butter knife to remove the wax
This method is best used for large chunks of wax. Before starting, the wax should be hard and cooled. Use a spoon or butter knife to scrape the wax from the sides of the container. Use a knife to cut the wax into pieces and crack the wax surface into smaller pieces that can be easily removed. Now remove the wax from the one piece at a time.
Wrap the wax in parchment paper or a plastic bag and dispose of it in the bin. If you want to reuse your wax, place it in a safe location until you are ready to use it.
5. Use the oven to remove wax from multiple candles at once
This method is excellent if you have a lot of candles that need cleaning. It will save you time as you can clean multiple candles at once. Prepare an oven tray with parchment paper covering the tray. Preheat your oven to 100 degrees and place your candles upside down on the oven-safe tray. Before placing the jars into the oven, make sure labels are removed from the candle jars. Put the tray of candles in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Keep watch of your candles in the oven, and ensure that the candles are only in the oven long enough for the wax to start melting and dripping onto the tray.
After 10 minutes, remove the tray of candles from the oven and allow them to cool for a few moments. Remove the jars from the tray with oven gloves and ensure that all melted wax has dripped onto the parchment paper. Wash the jars out with soap and water. Wait for the wax to cool and harden on the parchment paper and dispose of the wax or place the wax pieces in a safe place for reuse.
Is candle wax recyclable?
Unfortunately, candle wax cannot be recycled. There are no current means to recycle candle wax, and it is suggested that if you want to avoid throwing your leftover wax away that you reuse your wax. Recycling companies do not have reliable solutions or resources to process candle wax. Especially those candles made from paraffin wax.
Is candle wax biodegradable?
Although waxes made from natural resources are theoretically biodegradable many candles may not decompose. Candles with additives to the base wax may not be safe to decompose into soils. Often those candles that can decompose will have a certification from the manufacturer on the packaging.
Are candle jars recyclable?
Candle jars can be recycled as long as they’re made from natural materials. Before recycling your candle jars, clean them out entirely and remove any wick holders or metal parts. Most recycling facilities will not accept candles with additional material to the jar.
Firstly, you will need to remove the wax and remaining wick from your candle. You can do this by one of two methods:
- Let the wax cool, and then dispose of the wax in the bin.
- Let the wax cool, and then place the wax to one side for reuse.
Follow the steps outlined above to remove the wax from your candle jar. This will allow you to quickly get the wax out of the pot without having to wait for it to cool.
Once you have removed the wax, place the jar in your glass recycling bin or reuse the jar for even more candles!
Can you reuse candle wax?
If you want to dispose of your candle wax in the most environmentally-friendly way possible, consider reusing it. You can melt down your old candles and use the wax to make new ones. You can also add it to existing candles to make them last longer. Candle wax is also great for making DIY beauty products like lip balm and body lotion.
What are some ways to reuse candle wax?
- Make new candles: If you have a lot of wax left over, you can use it to make new candles! All you need is a mould and a wick.
- Create a fire starter: Candle wax is excellent for starting fires. All you need is wax, a cotton ball, and a lighter.
- Seal envelopes: Candle wax can be used to seal envelopes. Hold the envelope over a lit candle and let the wax drip onto the flap.
- Make waxed cloth: You can use candle wax to make a water-resistant cloth. This is great for picnics or outdoor events. All you need is a piece of cloth and some polish.
- Fix a stuck zipper: If you have a stuck zipper, you can use candle wax to lubricate it. Rub the wax on the teeth of the zipper, and it should start working again.
- Make DIY crayons: If you have kids, plenty of old broken crayons are lying around. Put them to good use by melting them down and making new crayons!
- Polish wood furniture: Give your wood furniture a quick shine by rubbing a bit of wax.
- Condition leather: You can use candle wax to condition leather and prolong its life. Just rub a thin layer on and buff it to a shine.
How many times can you reuse candle wax?
In the case of fragrance candles, this will depend on the fragrance life of the essential or fragrance oil you have added. The longer the fragrance life, the more you can reuse the wax and still gain the desired scent.
If you find that the wax is not producing the desired scent after several uses during the melting process, you can add more fragrance or essential oil to the wax mix.
Once the fragrance life has dissipated from the wax, you can dispose of it. You may also find that as time goes on, the colour of the wax changes. This is due to the nature of fragrance oils, not necessarily indicating that the wax needs to be replaced.
If you happen to be new to candle-making, hold up for just a minute. We wrote an article about the frequently asked questions beginners ask that we encourage you to read!
When should you throw away candles?
If the candle has lost its scent, if it is discoloured, or if the flame is weak, it may be time to dispose of it. If the candle is cracked or the glass is broken, it should also be thrown away. Never leave a burning candle unattended. Always extinguish candles before leaving the room.
Final Thoughts
Following these simple steps, you can dispose of your molten candle wax safely and responsibly. So next time you’re done with a candle, don’t hesitate to follow our guide – it’s the eco-friendly thing to do! Thanks for reading!
