It seems like such a shame to throw away leftover scented candle wax once the wicks have burned down. Sometimes there’s a significant amount of scented wax left after the wick is gone. Instead of throwing it away, put it to good use. There are a number of creative ways to use leftover scented candle wax.
Make a Simple Double Boiler
You’ll need a safe and easy method for melting wax in order to use leftover candles. Make a simple double boiler with a small empty coffee can and a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with water, and heat the water just until it reaches a temperature hot enough to melt the wax. Turn off the flame, and place small shavings or chunks of leftover candle wax in a clean, dry coffee can.
Never leave melting candles unattended, and never allow them to become too hot. Candle wax is flammable and can catch fire. This is why I recommend heating the water and removing the pan from heat or flame before adding the wax. The water can always be reheated if necessary.
Pinecone Fire Starters
Those with fireplaces realize that fire starters sold in stores aren’t exactly cheap. Make your own fire starters for yourself or for gifts, and make them with pinecones compliments of Mother Nature and scented wax compliments of leftover candles.
Carefully dip pinecones in melted wax, and let the wax-covered pinecones harden in refrigerated muffin tins. Place them in a decorative basket, and use them to start fires in your fireplace.
Scented Ornaments
It’s fun to make scented ornaments, and you can use leftover candles for this project. You’ll need flexible candy molds and satin ribbon. Trim ribbons of your choice to four-inch lengths. Loop the ribbons, and place the cut ends in the top of each mold. Carefully pour leftover candle wax into the molds, and allow them to partially harden before moving. Place them in a refrigerator to fully harden the ornaments before popping them out of the molds.
Fudge Jar Candles
If you love jar candles and chocolate fudge, and if you have leftover scented candles, you have just the ingredients you need to creatively use leftover candles. Jars that once held hot fudge are perfect for making jar candles. Since jars of fudge are placed in microwaves for heating, they can easily withstand the heat of melted wax.
Begin by placing a wick attached to a wick tab in the center of a clean, dry jar. If necessary, apply a small amount of hot glue to the bottom of the wick tab to keep it in place. Wrap the top of the wick around a wooden skewer to hold it straight within the jar. Carefully pour melted wax into the jar, and allow the wax to cool at room temperature.
Tarts
Tarts are wickless scented wax shapes made for tart burners. Tart burners melt the wax shapes and fill the air with heavenly aromas.
Use your leftover scented candles by turning them into aromatic tarts by pouring melted wax into miniature muffin tins. Allow the wax to cool at room temperature, and place them in the refrigerator right before popping them out of their molds.
