Kim Iversen 
Before the holidays I was cleaning up in our basement, and came across a box I had completely forgotten about – a box of Oui yogurt jars. Some time ago a friend of mine was cleaning out her basement and offered me the jars. She had been saving them for a “TBD” project, but decided it was way too much effort to remove all the label goo that was still on them. So, as sometimes happens, her “TBD” project became my “TBD” project.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
When I accepted the jars, I had no idea what I would do with them but figured I’d think of something eventually. At that time I should have gone ahead and removed the remaining labels and the associated goo, but took the easy way out and placed the box on the shelf, and promptly forgot that I had them.
Fast forward a few months (years?), and I started thinking how it could be fun to make candles to give to friends. A couple of years ago I started making small gift boxes with homemade products for friends and colleagues. We’ve packed them with jams, jars of dried herbs, and even homemade vanilla extract. This year I thought candles could be a nice addition, but I didn’t think I had any containers.
Then came the day when I found the box of jars waiting in my basement, and I knew it was meant to happen. I brought them all up to the laundry room and dumped as many as I could fit into a Rubbermaid container as possible, and covered them with warm water. Then I poured in a good portion of the label remover that my husband has for removing beer bottle labels (he’s an avid home brewer, and re-uses bottles when he can).
As fate would have it, life got in the way and my project was delayed for a few weeks. In the end this likely worked to my advantage, because all the goo was super easy to remove by the time I got around to them. A quick scrub with the sponge and a tour in through the dishwasher had the jars looking like new.
Gather Your Supplies
Making the candles is quite easy, and requires very few supplies. I was astonished with how cheap it was as well.
To start with, find the containers that you wish to use. Any glass container will work. You can use old Oiu yogurt jars, recycle used candle jars, mason jars, coffee mugs, etc. The list is endless, as long as the container is not flammable. Personally I would stay away from metal containers as well, simply because they conduct a lot of heat and you can burn yourself on the metal if you grab the container while the candle is lit.
You’ll need to set up a double boiler for melting the wax. Any pot you have will work for the bottom container that will hold the water. I found that a wide medium pot worked best for me. You may end up with some wax in it, so pick one that is easy to clean. Next you will need a container to melt the wax in. I purchased a metal pitcher for this purpose.
Ideally your wax melting container will conduct heat well, so metal is perfect. You also want something with a spout so you can easily pour the wax into the candle holders. Do not use your favorite pot or pitcher for this. You will want to buy or find something that you can dedicate to wax melting as you will likely never get it fully clean again. I picked up a 32 oz pitcher from Amazon for $15. In hindsight something a bit larger would have been better as it would have allowed me to melt more wax at a time and hence pour more candles at once.
The wax you use is pretty much up to personal preference. Paraffin wax, beeswax, and soy wax are all readily available (more on these below). I used beeswax because that was the first type of wax that popped into my head when I placed my order in Amazon. I hope to eventually try the others to see if I have a preference. My hope is to find a wax that will give a nice white candle, so I may end up having to use paraffin. If you hope to color your candles, you will be ok using the white beeswax or soy wax pellets.
Finally, you’ll need wicks for your candles. Be sure to buy wicks that will be long enough for the containers that you plan on using. I bought a multipack that had several different lengths, and more than enough wicks for my first project. You can also buy wicks that are in a spool and that you can cut to length. For your first project, I would steer clear of these and go with the ready made wicks as you’ll have less stuff to buy, and less frustration in the end.
You can also buy wick stickers and wick holders. While nice to have, these are certainly not required. The stickers are used to “glue” the bottom of the wick to the bottom of your container. This helps to keep the wick from floating around when you pour in the melted wax. An alternative to this could be to pour a little blob of wax into the bottom of the container and then press the bottom of the wick into the molten wax and allow it to “set” before finally pouring the candle.
Once the bottom of the wick is attached to the bottom of the container, the wick holder is put in place to keep the top of the wick from floating around during pouring. My set of wicks came with two of these, and I bought additional ones as I hope to make more candles at once and to do more of this in the future. As an alternative, you can use a pen or pencil, popsicle stick, or any other time that you can set across the top of your container and use to stabilize the wick.
Supplies:
- Container of your choice
- Melting pot
- Double boiler
- Wax – paraffin, beeswax, soy wax, etc.
- Wicks
- Wick stickers
- Wick holders
- Wick trimmer or scissors
- Chopstick or other long tool (make sure it’s something that can be dedicated to wax)
- Thermometer to take the temperature of the wax (I used our digital meat thermometer)
Making the Candles
Once you have all your supplies gathered, it’s time to set up your workstation and start making candles. I found it easiest to set up everything near my stove since. This would allow me to melt the wax and pour it without having to walk across the kitchen with hot wax.
Prepping Your Space and Melting the Wax
Start by filling the pot or pan you will use for your double boiler part way, and get it heating on the stove. You want enough water that it will come up the side of your pitcher (or wax container) to roughly halfway. Any more and you risk the pitcher tipping over in the water.
Next, pour some wax pellets into your pitcher – but only enough to cover the bottom and about 1 inch (2cm) more. Set the pitcher into the hot water bath and allow the pellets to melt. Once melted, add more pellets a little at a time. When I initially did this I filled the entire pitcher with wax pellets and tried to melt them all at once. It took forever! By adding a small amount at a time and allowing them to melt in between, the hot wax works for you and speeds things up.
While the wax is melting, prep your containers and wicks. I started by placing an old towel on my counter to protect it from the heat. Then I covered a small cookie sheet with parchment paper to make cleanup easier, and placed this on top of the towel. This way I could easily move the finished candles out of the way so I could make dinner later in the day.
Prepare your wicks by placing a sticker on the bottom of each one. If you are using wax to attach your wick, start by pouring a small amount into the bottom of your jar. Allow this to cool slightly so it is still soft and pliable, but not liquid. Then, using a chopstick or other long tool, press the bottom of the wick into the wax and allow the wax to harden before continuing with the next steps.
Finally, place the wick holder across the top of your container and attach it to the top of your wick. This will keep the wick from becoming off center while pouring the candle. During setup be sure to keep adding wax pellets to your pitcher so they can melt. I found it useful to use a second smaller container to pour additional wax pellets into the pitcher. Once I switched to this I made much less of a mess!
Pouring the Candles
When your wax is melted you want to let it cool to about 140F (60 C). There are a couple of reasons for this. First, this is the temperature at which you want to add fragrance oils if you are using them. At this temperature they will more evenly distribute in the wax, and they will not completely evaporate. The second reason is that you will get less contraction of the wax in your jar when you pour at the lower temperature. If you pour when the wax is too hot, you will need to pour a second round of melted wax to fill the container to the level that you want. You may also end up with “dimpling” around your wick if you pour the wax at too hot of a temperature.
Once the wax has cooled slightly, add any scents or colors that you wish to use, and stir them into the wax using a wooden chopstick. Then pour the wax into each of your jars. Use the chopstick to stick gently around the walls of the jar (be sure not to dislodge the wick!) to release any air bubbles that may have formed. Alternatively, you can pour the wax, and add the scents and colors to the wax in the individual jar.
Curing the Candles
Now that your candles are all poured, and you’ve filled in any dimples, it’s time to let them cure. This can often be the hardest part about making candles, especially if you are eager to use them or share them with friends.
Best practice is to allow the candles to cool at room temperature and cure for 24 hours after pouring. Trying to speed up the process by placing the candles in a cold environment such as the refrigerator (or outdoors in the winter) can cause a number of issues. First, placing the hot or still warm candles in a cold environment can cause the glass container to crack or shatter. Cooling too quickly can lead to wax shrinkage, wet spots or sink holes in the wax, and can weaken any fragrances that you have added.
Types of Wax for Candle Making
There are multiple types of wax that can be used to make your candles, and which one you use is really a matter of personal preference. That said, here is some information to help you make your choice:
- Paraffin wax: This is the typical wax for making candles, and is still quite popular. It is a by-product of petroleum production and can be irritating to some people who have allergies or asthma. That said, it is a good wax for beginners as it melts quickly, is inexpensive, and is easily colored or scented. A pound of paraffin wax will yield roughly 28 ounces of liquid wax.
- Soy Wax: This slow burning wax that comes from soybeans is becoming more and more popular, is eco-friendly, and renewable. It also cleans up pretty easily which is a nice bonus. One pound of soy wax will yield roughly 18 ounces of liquid wax.
- Beeswax: Beeswax is another all natural and renewable wax. This wax is claimed to have air purifying qualities, and can have a slightly floral or honey scent of its own. It also does not hold scent or coloring as well as the other waxes. Because of this, you may want to consider a different wax if you want to add color or scent of your own. One pound of beeswax will yield roughly 16 ounces of liquid wax.
- Old Candles: Using old candles is a great way to use the half burned, warped, or broken candles lurking in your cabinet. Your new candles will inherit any color or scent from your melted odds and ends, so be sure to combine them wisely. Simply melt them as you would any other wax.
How Do I Know How Much Wax to Use?
The best way to determine how much wax you will need for a project is to fill your jar with the wax pellets, then double that amount. That’s roughly how much you’ll need to melt in order to fill your jar to the desired level. Easy!
Is It Really Worth the Cost?
I love burning candles, especially unscented ones due to my allergies and asthma and finding unscented candles can often be a challenge where I live. This is another reason why I decided to explore candle making.
At my local Target, I can buy a single 3.4 oz synthetic wax candle for about $3.50. It is full of perfume that sets off my asthma. Below are the supplies I used to make my beeswax candles. I used roughly 2 pounds to pour 12 candles, and was able to reuse the Oui jars that my friend had given me. Because I want to also use these as gifts I purchased some bamboo lids that are designed to fit the Oui jars.
- Glass container – free – $1 (12 mason jars for $12)
- Melting pot – $15 (can be used multiple times)
- Double boiler – Free (I used one I already had)
- Beeswax – $1.27 per jar ($37.99 for 5 pounds)
- Wicks – $0.12 ($12 for 100)
- Wick stickers – these came with my wicks
- Wick holders – $0.34 (20 pieces $6.75)
- Wick trimmer or scissors – $6.99 (can be used multiple times)
- Chopstick or other long tool – I already had wooden chopsticks
- Thermometer – I used our digital meat thermometer
- Bamboo lids – $1.33 (12 for $16)
Based on the purchase prices for everything I bought and what I used, I have an initial price of $4.89 per jar for my first 12 jars ($5.89 if I buy mason jars). This includes the cost or purchase for my melting pot and wick trimmer.
The next time I make 12 jars, I’ll need to repurchase the bamboo lids (though this is optional), but not the melting pot or trimmer. If I needed to re-purchase the remaining supplies as well, my cost would be $2.72 per candle ($4.06 if I buy mason jars).
However I still have plenty of Oui jars left, and I have enough supplies for at least 18 more candles. All I need are lids, which are optional, and those cost $1.33 per lid.
So is it more economical to make my own candles? I would say the answer is yes! I get a better quality candle, without scent or petrochemicals, at the same cost or less than a similar sized candle at Target.
Cleaning Up
Now that your candles are poured and cooling, it’s time to clean everything up. There are several ways to go about this, but the most important is to avoid sending wax down your sink. This will turn your relatively inexpensive project into a quite expensive one if you need to call the plumber to come and fix your drain!
In order to make clean up easy, heat up the thermometer and pitcher in order to melt any residual wax that may be on them. Then use a paper towel to wipe off as much as you can. I still had about half an inch of wax remaining in my pitcher when I was finished with my candles, so I simply wiped off the outside of the pitcher and let the wax inside harden. I’ll use it the next time I make candles. Pour out the hot water and wipe the pot clean with a paper towel.
Once everything has been wiped with a paper towel, clean the meat thermometer and pot with very hot soapy water to remove any residue. Set the pitcher aside to cool, allowing any remaining wax inside to harden for use another day. Alternatively you can pour the remaining wax into a dedicated jar to cool and be used later. If you decide to do this, then wipe the inside of the jar with a paper towel and remove the remaining residue with hot soap and water. You can also discard the remaining wax in the trash can.
24 Hours Later
Now that everything has been cleaned up and the candles have cured for 24 hours, it’s time for the final steps. Start by grabbing a pair of scissors or a wick trimmer, and trim all your wicks to ¼ inch in length. Next, place a lid on each jar or simply cover them with plastic wrap and a rubber band to preserve any scents you’ve added. Select a jar from your inventory, find a lighter, and light your candle.
Relax, and enjoy!
