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Today I’m sharing the fastest and maybe easiest DIY project I’ve done to date. And you might just have almost all you need for this one around the house right now. I’ve talked about candles here many times. Every once in a while I splurge on some really nice candles from Anthropologie. For me, candles are a simple pleasure that make our home smell luxurious and they just make me happy. But, when you spend $30 on a candle, you want to use it until it’s gone completely.
The last few times I bought the candles, I kept them after they were burnt out to eventually reuse the wax. I recently realized I had plenty to make two new candles in the two lovely jars from Anthropologie. And it’s super simple. With a quick and easy do it yourself project, I got the equivalent of two $28 candles. Such fun for a cheapo like me.
What you’ll need
- Leftover candles with some wax still left around the sides or bottom
- One leftover candle jar per candle you plan to make
- New wicks from a craft store ($2 to $3 for 8 to 12 wicks)
- A microwave safe container that you are comfortable tossing or using just for candles
- A spoon
Directions
- Using a spoon, dig out all of the wax from each candle. Divide wax up by scent. I only had two scents out of several candles so divided them up to make two new candles.
- Remove the metal wick from the bottom of any jars you will be reusing.
- Microwave each group of wax in a microwave-safe dish in 1-minute increments at about 60% power. It took about 4 minutes for mine to melt down.
- Place a wick in the jars you plan to reuse.
- Once the wax is melted, hold on to the wick with one hand and slowly pour the wax into the jar with the other hand.
- Place candle in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
We’ve had these in our home for about a week and they are burning very clean and smell great. What do you think of this simple idea? Would you try it to save a little money on new candles? Do you love candles in your home in the winter?
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I cut wine bottles and used leftover wax to make candles as gifts last year, such a great way to use the remnants of wonderful smelling candles!
That would be lovely. How did you cut the wine bottles?
I just try to keep the liquid from running down the side of the candle.
This is so perfect and came just at the right time!! I have a couple candle jars I’ve been dying to reuse for Christmas!! :) So easy!
So happy you can do this too! It’s such an easy thing and saves money on something you burn through pretty quickly.
That is an awesome idea!
Thank you, friend!
LOVE the idea! I also love candles around the house. I love the smell and they make a home feel cozy and warm. What do you think about layering wax if I don’t have enough for 1 candle?
So cozy, right? Yes, Leah, layering would work so well. Just be sure to let each layer cool before adding the next layer. Great idea!
This is an AWESOME idea! Thank you for sharing!
Happy to share things that save money anytime! :)
This is really fantastic idea to make candles. I would love to make some for me too. Thank you so much for beautiful ideas. I thoroughly enjoyed your blog.
Thanks for stopping by Evelyn!
This DIY project is my ultimate favorite so far! Who ever thought that it would be that easy (and affordable!) to make?!
Was scouring the internet for DIY gift ideas to make for my daughter’s debut party when I saw your post. I am now a fan!
What type of jar can you use? as I have disposed of my old ones (How stupid of me).
Lee, it seems like you could use any jar. Mason jars, baby food jars, tins from the thrift store, old tea cups, small fish bowls, old candle jars (of course). The dollar store usually has a good variety of glass candle-sized vases, etc. The possibilities are endless. :)
What a simple idea, I have been collecting leftover candles for months, wanting to do something like this. The only question I ask, what kind of wick do you use? That is the only thing missing. Thank you =)
Good question Billie! I just picked up wicks at Michaels. A pack was $3 and you could make 20 plus candles from it, I believe.
Jessica, do you have any experience with wooden wicks?
To Ms. Jessica,,, to cut a bottle you most have a strong cordel or pita these are strings made of strong cotton you place the bottle standing and you mark with something around the bottle the distance from the bottom were you are going to cut taking the string around the bottle twice and by the two ends you start making friction by pulling one end of the string first and then the other end of the string 4 o 5 five times this way the bottle will get hot at the mark selected by then you (have a container of water next to you bigger than the bottle) by the time the bottle is hot by pulling the string you submerge the bottle and innnnnmidiatly will separate in two pieces .
Dude. It can’t be that easy. I’m going to try it. Tonight.
hi what do you use for sent?
My name is Jade and I’ve decided to make candles to help with ta big trip I plan to go on. Check out some of the candles I’ve remade and made new .
Remaking candles is something I’ve wanted to do, due to all the candle wax that is wasted. Thank you so much. Sarah for your awesome ideas and saving me money.
I have been melting the wax in the bottom of jar candles by putting all my jar candles ( with lids on) outside in the morning on very hot days. By mid afternoon the sun has melted the wax into liquid. To reuse some of the jars for the new candles – I’ll take a couple of jars and pour the melted candle wax (same scent) into another jar and leave them in the sun so they stay in its liquid state. Then I clean out the inside of the needed candle jars with paper towels and wash and dry them. Once I have a few clean jars I then go back outside to the melted wax jars remove all the old wicks – which are just floating in the melted liquid candle wax – I take new wick (that Micheals sells) put it in the bottom of the clean candle jar and pour the melted wax into the jar. New candles for those long winter months!
So hilarious. That’s it exactly why I was on this website to find a way to use ALL of my 28 dollar Anthropologie ( in beautiful jar) scented candle
I’m just making a giant yankee candle out of different yankee candles i have had and lots of my friends have given me there old one’s too so i have a great variety of scents involved in this new one… its going to be amazing and each one i melt down makes the house smell different with every breath :)
Add a little cinnamon to your melted waxing smells divine :) use the wick from left over birthday candle x
Do you use any type of glue or anything to stick the tab on the wick to the bottom of the jar?
I don’t, but I hold it in place until I pour the wax in enough to hold it down.
Easy trick, instead of holding in place, dip wick metal into liquid wax and place the wick where you want it in jar, then pour the wax.
doesn’t the wick just flop when all the wax melts? i didn’t stick the wick to the bottom of the jar, and when the wax melted the wick started floating in it. i’m wondering if there’s a way to “fix” the wick to the bottom of the jar?!
I held the wick up from the top and kind of pushed down a bit, but I didn’t have trouble. I wonder if some hot glue or other glue would be a good option for you?
Hot glue is a good option. Also, candle supply companies sell strips of glue dots that adhere to the bottom of the wick. I have used those and find that heating the jars before pouring the wax helps them stick nicely to the bottom of the jar.
I have made a few but on the stove rather than the microwave. I also ran into the wick problem. I hot glue the wick to the bottom of the jar and it works great. I tried dipping the wick base in hot wax and it didn’t stay put for me. Regarding the collapsing wick, I lay 2 popsicle sticks across the top of the jar and clip the wick with a clothespin or chip clip. (You have to use a wick that is taller than the jar.) Then I rest the clip on the popsicle sticks. It works great. You just have to leave it intact while the wax hardens. I haven’t tried to refrigerate. I just leave them on the counter while they cool.
(I just melted some candles together with wicks from Michaels and they
won’t stay lite. I was disappointed. The candles were old do you think
that would make a difference? I used a double boiler on the stove to
melt the wax and wonder if that would cause it. Thanks for any help.
Hmmm… I’m not sure on this. I used wicks from Michaels too. Was the wax from high quality candles? I’m wondering if cheap candles might not do as well?
I bought the candles at a thrift store so I don’t know if they were high
quality or how old they were so that could be the problem. I won’t use
them anymore. Thanks for your help.
Hi Jessica, I created candles last night using your instructions. I changed just one thing, instead of holding the wick, I dipped the wick’s metal into wax and placed it in the center of jar to secure the wick while pouring wax.
At first the candles were beautiful. However, after taking candles out of fridge and leaving them sit for a while, I found the center of each candle had a sizeable deep dip/hole in the wax.
I wonder, did you experience this same situation with your candles? If so, what did you do to “fix” the problem?
I did put more melted wax into the hole and let it sit, but it’s not a nice enough finish for say gift giving ~ which was my aim.
I also tried, in once instance, letting the candle set without refridgeration. Same thing happened.
Any thoughts or suggestions for a beautiful finished product would be appreciated.
Wow! That’s strange. I didn’t have that happen and have no idea why it would. I’m guessing it has to do with the type of wax you are using, but I really don’t know. Mine were smooth. So sorry to hear it didn’t work for you.
Wonderful idea. I have a lot of leftover from different candles. I am going to try and I cross my fingers to work. I love candles and I use them through all the year.
thk u 4 the awesome ideals
I do have a question about the strength of the scent. I am using the same candles that you have and know that in their original state, they are extremely strong and can make a large room smell amazing. It seems that after I melt them into a new jar, the scent isn’t nearly as strong or almost non-existent. I have changed the heat level from high to low, thinking I was burning the scent out of it. But even on low, it’s still the same. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Jessica. I was cleaning out an used candle and there was a fair amount of really wonderful smelling wax left. I googled “uses for leftover wax” and your site was the first one up and sounds like the easiest! I have one question. For a while I was buying Glade and those other grocery store type of scented candles. I cleaned out the jars except for one little problem. No matter what I have tried I can not get the little piece of metal out that holds the
wick onto the bottom. I have heated over a double broiler, put in dishwasher, used a butter
Knife to try to pry it out. All the men folks in my family have tried various types of tools or just “he man” brute force. They will not dislodge! We were using so many of those candles over time that we decided to re-use for my daughters very simple low budget wedding. But I am so disappointed that I can’t get those out. First, any ideas on how to remove them? Second, I wonder if it would cause a problem (like off centering the wick) to just leave them in the jar? Thanks for all your great ideas!
put a few inches of water in the jar. set the jar in a pot of water and let it simmer for a while, keeping an eye on it. this should loosen it up enough to remove it.
I’ve got at least a dozen large candles whose wicks have burned completely yet 80% of the candle remains. Was sad to imagine throwing them out.
Now I know I don’t have to.
Thanks for sharing your experiment in candle making.
Carl Kruse
Miami