Do you wonder what to do with old candles? I have the perfect DIY for ya! DIY wax fire starters make your fire smell amazing and help you get the fire burning.
We’ve all been there– our candles burn down to the bottom, but there’s some wax still hanging out in the bottom. It won’t light anymore, so you’re just stuck with this glass jar, some wax, and no purpose for it. I’m sure you’ve seen people scrape out the wax remnants and repurpose the jar, or maybe combine waxes to create a new candle, but it just felt done before– so I wanted something a little different! Thus began the search that leads us here– wax firestarters!
prep the candles
To get the wax out of the original candle, you have 2 options– microwave or use to the stove, but I have some thoughts on each so keep reading! If you choose to microwave the candle (only if it’s a glass jar candle), make sure the wick is completely removed before doing so. There’s metal in candle wicks, so microwaving with the wick is not an option– don’t ask me how I know this!
With that being said, I used the stove to get my wax out! Once your water is boiling, place the glass jar inside and soften the wax! Once it was softened, I took the glass jar out using potholders and poured the softened wax into a separate pan. This way you can get it fully melted! You could also use a combination of both the microwave and the stove. Use the water bath to soften the wax and wick, remove the wick, and then microwave the rest of the way! Regardless, the goal here is to get the wax into a liquid state.
If you don’t have old candles laying around but still want to make the wax firestarters, you can always purchase beeswax and start with a clean slate instead. If you go this route, you can add essential oils to give that welcoming scent we’re going for! Just be careful if you have fur babies in your home, as some of these oils can be toxic to dogs!
assemble the firestarters
Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners to prep for the hot wax!
This is where the fun begins– gather dried items and add-ons you’d like to add intotor firestarter! I personally grabbed some rosemary, mint a,nd bay leaves from my own yard a,nd pine needles from my old and dying Christmas tree! I bought some cinnamon and chamomile to pair with it, nd made my own little concoction in each space.
You can do the same mixture in each one or mix it up, your choice!
After your dried ingredients are in, go ahead and add the wick! I purchased these wicks from Amazon and they’ve worked out well for me! I did end up cutting the metal piece off of the bottom, and then I cut them in half since these were a bit longer. After cutting them, I just laid a strip in each firestarter!
Then I poured the hot wax over it all, filling each space to the top!
Then, simply let them cool!
Once cooled, they are ready for your fireplace! I personally have these stored in a large bowl by my fireplace– I think it’s a beautiful touch to the fireplace area and it smells good over there, even when these aren’t being burned!
When you’re ready to use one place the firestarter in the bottom of your fireplace and light it. This wil help light the wood in the bottom of your fireplace and will make your home smell AMAZING!
I’m a believer that smells can DEFINITELY make a space more inviting, comforting, and cozy! Don’t love your fireplace? Check out these fireplace surround makeovers you could try to update your space.
I also have an amazing list of fireplace accessories you could add to your fireplace lineup. I think it is great to have a beautiful AND functional space.
And not to worry about the wax making a mess in the bottom of your fireplace– just like the wax dissipates in your everyday candle, it does here as well! I haven’t had any issues with it! You’re going to LOVE this– trust me! When you are done with the fireplace for the winter you may want to add a decorative cover like this one created.
Love these so much! Think I’m going to attempt a batch in the near future…
Another way to remove wax from jars is to put them in the freezer overnight. Give them a few taps around the jar with your hand and the wax will pop out.
If you add dryer lint, it adds no odor but soaks up the wax and still helps start the fire. We use these for our campfires as well.