If you listen to our podcast you might already know that I am a bit of a candle fanatic. I am almost always burning a candle in my home (except when I sleep, duh). When I have a candle that has been packaged in an especially pretty vessel, I always mean to clean it out after and either reuse it for a homemade candle or repurpose it in my home. I must admit, I don’t always get around to it though because it seems like kind of a hassle. I’ve tried a few methods for how to easily remove leftover candle wax (once the candle has basically burned down to nothing, but there’s still that pool of leftover wax in the bottom). And just in case there are other candle-lovers out there, I thought I’d share what I do. If anyone has other methods, please share them with us in the comments!

Above is a candle I recently cleaned out. See how pretty the jar is that it came in?! (I think it was from Anthropologie, but I’m not sure; it was a gift from friends.) The three wicks were already burned down to the very ends, but there was still quite a bit of leftover wax in the bottom.

First, cut a few slashes through the leftover wax.

Then, pour boiling water into the vessel. The water will melt the wax, including hopefully getting in between the slashes or cracks you added. The melted wax will rise to the surface and float on top of the water. Once it’s cool enough to handle, remove the waxy top and discard. You may need to repeat this step again if there is still more wax to remove.

Some candle brands will have a sticky glue that holds the metal bottoms of the wicks to the vessel (and some don’t). If your candle has this, you will need to scrape it up with the blunt end of a butter knife or a flathead screwdriver. If the glue persists, you may also need to use soap to remove, or if it’s really persistent you can use a product like Goof Off.

Once all the wax and any sticky residues are removed, thoroughly clean the vessel with dish soap and water or run it through the dishwasher (if the vessel seems to be dishwasher safe; if you’re unsure, just wash it by hand).

And that’s it! I think this is the easiest way to remove leftover candle wax. Another method I saw was melting the wax in the oven and then pouring it out, but this seemed a little more difficult to me (like handling the hot vessel while the wax is also hot … but idk, maybe I’m a baby). Anyway, if anyone has other methods, let us know. I love being about to reuse a pretty jar once a candle is gone—it feels like a second life! Random post but thanks for letting me share. xo. Emma

How to Easily Remove Leftover Candle Wax

  1. First, cut a few slashes through the leftover wax.

  2. Then, pour boiling water into the vessel. The water will melt the wax, hopefully getting in between the slashes or cracks you added. The melted wax will rise to the surface and float on top of the water. 

  3. Once it’s cool enough to handle, remove the waxy top and discard. You may need to repeat this step again if there is still more wax to remove.

  4. Some candle brands will have a sticky glue that holds the metal bottoms of the wicks to the vessel (and some don’t). If your candle has this, you will need to scrape it up with the blunt end of a butter knife or a flathead screwdriver. If the glue persists, you may also need to use soap to remove, or if it’s really persistent you can use a product like Goof Off.

  5. Once all the wax and adhesive is removed, clean the vessel well.

Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.



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