Recycle candle scraps: 7 ideas for wax scraps

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Recycle leftover candles
7 ideas what to do with leftover wax

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Claudia Enders

by Claudia Enders

In Advent and winter we love to light candles and make ourselves really comfortable. But what happens to all the wax and candle scraps that are left over? We have a few ideas on how you can recycle candle scraps!

1. Pour the remains of candles into new candles

You can wonderfully pour new candles with candle scraps: It's not only fun, you can also get really creative! The most diverse color combinations are possible or you can easily make your own scented candle with the help of essential oils!

Recycle candle scraps - pour candles

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You need:

  • Wax residues
  • Candle wick (choose size and diameter to match the candle size)
  • Shish kebab skewers or similar and clothespins
  • Casting mold: z. B. clean tin can, mason jar, old cup or bowl, cardboard tube, cookie cutter, clam shells
  • pot
  • Small bowl for the water bath
  • As required: essential oils (in organic quality), wax colors

That's how it's done:

  1. First, prepare your mold: tins, mason jars, etc. must clean be!
  2. Fasten a candle wick in a clothespin and place it on two kebab skewers so that the wick is in the middle of the candle. For smaller molds, such as cookie cutters, there are tea light wicks on the market that already have a metal plate on the base.
  3. Crush the candle remains, e.g. B. with a knife.
  4. Melt the wax in the water bath. If there is still a wick in the wax residue, remove it. If you want, you can color the melted candle residue with wax paint or add a few drops of essential oils.
  5. Then pour the liquid wax into a mold. tip: If you are not using closed molds (e.g. cardboard tubes or cutters), first pour a thin layer on the bottom, let it dry and then fill in the remaining wax. After drying, you can remove the cookie cutters or the cardboard tube or cut open if necessary.

Here we have more tips on how to pour candles or make your own scented candles.

2. Wax casting on New Year's Eve

Bleigießen used to be part of the New Year's Eve program – today we are climbing on the harmless variant with wax around! Old candle scraps are ideal for this, which are melted in a spoon over a candle and then poured into a bowl with cold water (and ice cubes). Then there is a lot of room for interpretation for the diverse figures! You can read more tricks and aids for wax casting here.

Recycle candle scraps - wax casting

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3. Waxfire

Wax burners are commercially available for indoor and outdoor use. You can always put candle scraps into the ceramic pots and burn them. The wax burner has a type of permanent wick that sucks up the melted wax and therefore does not have to be replaced.

4. Impregnate shoes with wax

You need:

Cloth or imitation leather shoes can be impregnated with wax residue. Use a lot for it light or colorless wax. Test the wax beforehand on an inconspicuous area. Just apply the wax dry and clean shoes at!

That's how it's done:

  1. Rub the shoe material and the transition to the sole with the wax residue over a large area.
  2. Blow dry your shoes at high temperature with a blow dryer so that the wax melts and soaks into the fibers. This makes white wax appear transparent. Let the shoes dry overnight. The shoes are then water-repellent.

tip: If you want to repeat the process after a while, it is usually sufficient to melt and distribute the wax again with the hairdryer.

5. Make grill or oven lighter yourself

You need:

  • Wax residues
  • Coffee filter bags or egg cartons
  • Small animal litter or sawdust
  • Heat-resistant gloves
  • Bowl for the water bath
  • pot
  • Spoon or ladle

That's how it's done:

  1. Melt the remains of the candle in a water bath and remove the wicks.
  2. Mix the wax with bedding or sawdust.
  3. As soon as the litter or sawdust is soaked in the wax, fill a portion of each into a filter bag and close it (wear gloves!). Alternatively, you can fill the mixture into empty egg cartons.
  4. Let the grill or oven lighters cool.
  5. Use a lighter or a honeycomb of the egg carton for each grill or fireplace. Put it under or next to the coals and light it: This gives you a fire starter that burns for a few minutes.

6. Paint the Easter eggs with wax

Do you want your Easter eggs to be small works of art? Then, before staining, paint a pattern on it with a thin brush and melted wax. If you then dye the Easter eggs, no dye will get to the area covered with wax. This gives the Easter eggs a particularly delicate look.

Recycle leftover candles - painted Easter eggs

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7. Pour the Easter egg candles

After Christmas, the next party is coming up, where we want to decorate our table with suitable decorations. Easter egg candles are a quick and easy DIY, where you can use the leftover wax at the same time. Use halved eggshells, clean them thoroughly, and use them as a mold. If you want, you can then remove the eggshells and receive candles in the shape of an egg.

Recycle candle scraps - Easter egg candles

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Looking for more guides? Here we explain how you can make water colors yourself, what you have to consider when making mobile and how you can make food colors yourself.

Would you like to exchange ideas with others on the subject of DIY? Then take a look at our community.