Want to reuse your candle jar? Here’s four ways you can remove all the wax remnants so you can give that pot a new lease of life.

Ever wondered how to get candle wax out of a jar? Well, wonder no more – we have the answer. We know, it’s always a sad moment when you watch your favourite candle flicker out on its final burn. However, when one door closes, another door opens. From a plant pot to a makeup brush holder, there are tons of ways you can reuse your candle jar but first, you need to get every last bit of wax out of there. Luckily, this is super easy to do. Here are four candle wax removal methods you can try.

1- Pour in hot water

A very simple method is to simply pour boiling water into your pot. If your jar is made of glass, make sure you run it under hot water to warm up the glass first to prevent it from shattering. For soft waxes (like soy) you don’t even need boiling water, you can just turn your tap up to the highest point.  The hot water will melt the wax and it should come loose from the bottom. Once your water is cool enough to touch you can tip the water into a sieve to catch the wax and then dispose of it. This is the best way to tackle larger candles too. 

2- Soak your jar in hot water 

This is a great choice for small candles. If it’s small enough to fit in a saucepan, fill one up with water so that it surrounds the jar, but no water spills into the top (think of a bain-marie). Place the saucepan on the hob and turn up the heat until the wax has melted. When it’s a little cooler, scrape out the melted wax with a spoon and wipe clean with a paper towel or old rag.

3- Put it in the freezer 

Put your candle jar in the freezer for a few hours or overnight. If the wax doesn’t pop straight out when you remove it from the freezer, use a butter knife to cut the wax into chunks and tip it out until it’s all gone.  

4- Use a hair dryer 

Plug your hairdryer in and crank up the heat. Blow hot air onto the wax until it starts to melt and then using a paper towel or old rag, clean out the soft wax.  

The big no-no’s 

Here are a few things that you might think of doing… but you definitely shouldn’t.  

1. Don’t put the candle in the microwave. The candle will smoke and fill up the microwave creating a potential fire risk. 

2. Don’t wash the remnants out in a dishwasher. Even just the last little bits! This might seem like a good idea but as one of my colleagues would tell you – it's really not. Be prepared for all of your kitchenware to taste like sandalwood for a long, long, time.