Reuse Your Candle Jars!

I love reusing candle jars, they are the perfect size to do just about anything with.

In this blog, will show you how to clean out your candle jars so you can use them for whatever your heart desires.

Step 1.

Start with a candle that you have burned down completely. You will probably have about half an inch of wax left in the bottom, which is normal because wicks don't usually burn down all the way before they stop lighting. Put your candle in the freezer for about an hour.

Step 2.

Remove your candle from the freezer, and stab the wax carefully with a sharp kitchen knife. This will loosen up the wax and enable you to pour the wax bits into the trash. The reason this works is because wax, unlike water, shrinks when frozen, and therefore will loosen up and pull away from the sides during it's vacation in the freezer. Chop up the wax until it falls out of the glass and into the trash. The only thing left in your candle jar will be the wicks which will probably be glued to the bottom of your jar. You can leave these for now.

Step 3.

Give your jar a hot, soapy bubble bath. I did this in my kitchen sink. Hand wash your jar to get rid of all of the remaining soot, wax, and glue. I filled my glass up with super hot water and let it sit for about 5 minutes to loosen up the glue holding the wicks. Then, after pouring out the scalding water I used my nails to peel off the wick holders. They came off really easily! Remove the labels as well; this was the easiest part because they just peeled right off.

Step 4.

Give your glass a final, squeaky clean wash. Just hand wash this one again to remove every last trace of residue.

Voila! You are done! Now you can reuse your candle jar! I used mine to store my favorite nail polishes of the moment according to the season. This works as both polish storage and colorful decor! I also use it for my makeup brushes and herbs. In addition, you could use your jar to hold cotton balls, loose change, a potted plant... possibilities are endless! So, happy crafting!