How to Repurpose Candles

A lot of us are stuck at home these days with so much extra time on our hands that we're not used to! In order to pass the time, I've been looking for activities that are fun, don't involve screens, and don't cost any money. If you've been craving something like that as well, and if you also have a bunch of old, burnt-out candles at home, this DIY blog is perfect for you! We're going to show you how to take those useless candle jars and turn them into something new in just a few easy steps. (For real, this is a ⭐beginner⭐ level craft with high reward! So it's perfect for everyone. Just make sure there's an adult around because we will be using boiling hot water for one of the steps.)

As you can see, I have completely exhausted the candle on the right. The wicks have been burnt all the way to the bottom. Normally, this would be the perfect time to replace it with a new one, but I didn't want to throw this little candle jar away yet! If you have some candles at home that are getting low, just follow along with this short pictorial so you can repurpose yours too. Here's what I did:

First, I took the burnt-out candle and placed it in my freezer. As you can see, I set mine right above some frozen pizzas! 😂🍕 Just leave that there for at least an hour so the remaining wax will freeze, and shrink away from the sides to help you remove it from the jar. This is the perfect time to put on a face mask and just relax while you wait. It's also great if you have a few different jars because (as long as you have enough space in your freezer) you'll be able to get a few of them done all at the same time. 

After an hour had passed, I went back to check on my candle. The wax was lifted away from the walls a little bit, but didn't release enough to come out of the glass jar just yet. For some containers, the wax will pop right out at this step. Then the rest of the steps are here to help you clean up what little pieces are left behind. I just wasn't that lucky! But that's totally fine because it all worked out in the end. 

This part was super fun! It felt like I traveled back to my elementary school science class. 🔬 I boiled some hot water, and poured it into the jar, leaving a little space at the top so I wouldn't spill any out during the later steps. (WARNING: Make sure you let the jar warm up to room temperature first so it's not shocked by the hot water after coming out of the freezer! Mine was ready after leaving it out on the counter while I was waiting for the water to boil.) Pretty quickly you will see that the wax will release from the bottom, melt, and float to the top of the water. In order to remove it from the jar in one piece, just wait for the water to cool back down. The wax will harden while it's still floating at the top, making it extremely easy to remove! If you keep this piece, you can reuse it in any wax warmer so that you can get every drop of use out of that candle you were just going to throw away anyway.

After you've removed the wax, you should be able to wipe the rest of the jar out with a paper towel. The wicks were stuck to the bottom of my jar with glue, but that was easily fixed with some hot water and some goo-gone! (If you don't have any glue cleaners, just put some oil in the jar and let it sit with a little hot water, and you should still be able to completely clean yours out. Now I'm ready with my empty jar and I can do so many new things with it!

Depending on the size of the jar you clean out, these containers can become super cute stationary holders! Perfect for pencils, pens and scissors, as an added decoration for your desk. If your jar happens to have a lid, we recommend using your new container for push pins, paper clips and more to keep them safely stashed away. It will keep your desk tidy, and look decorative all at the same time. 

This was my personal favorite way to repurpose this specific jar. It was the perfect size for these cotton swabs and looked super cute with the rest of my self-care items displayed in my bathroom for my nightly routine. I also recommend using these jars for hair ties, bobby pins, cotton balls, or (if it's the right size) a decorative soap dispenser cover.

You can also repurpose your candle jars into cute little planters. All of the plants in my house are fake because I have a cat that will ruin anything else. 😼 But after adding a few marbles, and topping this jar with two fake succulents, it fit right in with the rest of my collection. I have seen others have success with real plants, so don't be afraid to try that method as well! We're sure it will turn out super cute. ❤ We hope that you enjoyed this DIY blog and that you'll get the chance to try it at home sometime. If you do, make sure to tag us in your photos on Instagram and Facebook @gliksofficial so we can see the final product! We can't wait to see what you will turn all your old candles into. Have fun!