How to Remove Wax from a Candle Jar

How to Remove Wax from a Candle JarI love candles and enjoy using them throughout my home. I have some that are in pretty glass jars while others are in ceramic containers. After you’re done burning the candle you can easily remove the remaining wax and upcycle the jar/container to be used for another purpose. They make great storage containers!

The S’mores ceramic container (shown below) housed a double-wick candle. I love the container and didn’t want to toss it out. Instead…I removed the wax (using the directions below). I can now use it for other things during the holiday season.

How to Remove Wax from a Candle Jar

There are various methods posted on the internet and MANY of them don’t work easily for me. I’m all about quick and easy! The one method that has yielded the best results for me over and over is the boiling water method. Here’s how you do it.

Fill up a 2 or 3 cup glass measuring cup with hot water. Place it into your microwave and microwave on the high setting for 2 minutes. Use a hot pad or oven mitt to carefully remove it from the microwave without burning yourself.

Pour that boiling hot water into the candle container or jar leaving 1 to 1 1/2″ of space at the top. Let it sit until the water cools down to room temperature. The hot water will melt the candle wax.

How to Remove Wax from a Candle Jar

Place a sink stopper into your kitchen sink drain. Grab an empty plastic container from a milk jug, large empty margerine tub, or any other plastic container that you will toss away. Drain the melted and softened wax along with the water into the container. Do it over the sink in case you spill some. If needed, use an old butter knife to carefully losen up anything that is left on the bottom. Toss the plastic container (filled with the waxy mess) into the trash. Check your sink…if any has fallen into the sink…clean it up before removing the drain stopper. Don’t pour down the sink as it will clog the drain.

Fill up the sink with warm soapy water. I like to use Dawn Liquid Dish Soap which is fantastic at removing grease, oil, grime and other gunk. Wash the container or jar out and then rinse with clean water. Air dry. I don’t recommend tossing it into your dishwasher just in case there is a little bit of waxy residue left inside it. Hand-washing is best!

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Comments

  1. Jo-Ann Brightman says

    This is a great tip on how to remove wax from a candle jar. I would make sure not to empty any into the sink!

  2. I never knew how to do this thank you for sharing this one. I am going to do this to a few of my candle jars that I want to re-use.