How to clean our candle vessels

How to Clean Your Candle Vessels!

Do you have a hoard of used candle jars? A stash of expended candles, too low to burn, but somehow still too precious to get rid of? When you pick up one of these lovely, sturdy vessels, does it somehow feel wrong just to toss them?

Never fear! There are a lot of useful things you can do with candle vessels after their first life as candle holders, from regenerating them into a whole new candle with one of our Alchemy Kits to using them as planters or for toiletry organization to (of course) recycling. 

The first step to any of these wonderful options, though, is getting your candle vessel clean! To aid you in this, we've put together some of our best tips for refreshing your candle jars to prepare for their next life, whatever that may be.

Step One: Melt the remaining wax.

There are a few ways to warm the vessels. You could use a heat gun or a double boiler or a candle warmer. Once the wax is melted, you can carefully pour out the majority of it. Bonus tip: if there is enough left, consider pouring it into a silicone mold to use later as wax melts!

Step Two: Wipe it, Wipe It Good! 

While the wax is still warm and soft, you can use a cloth or paper towel to clean off any remaining wax (note: we have found paper towels to be slightly more effective than cloth rags). Dawn dish soap can also help this process. 

Step Three: Remove the wick. 

For our signature deluxe candles with the wood wick, freezing the vessel will weaken the glue bonding the wick to the bottom of the jar. This should allow you to easily remove it.

For regular, cotton wick candles, scrape off the adhesive pad. This will leave some residue, but a few passes with Dawn dish soap, and it should be removed. 

Note: These vessels are not food grade, but washing them with dish soap should be enough to remove the residue and fragrance. 

Step Four: Remove the labels.

A hairdryer can help denature the adhesive so you can carefully peel it off. For any paper portions of the label that don't come away, we recommend GooGone. For the adhesive that may remain, you can actually use the label you just removed to get off most of it! Fold the label so it is sticky side out then pat it against the jar. The adhesive should cling to the label and come away with ease. For any traces left behind, try a microfiber cloth. 

You did it!

Your vessel is ready for its next life, be that refilled by one of our Alchemy Kits or holding the treasured trinkets from your last adventure!