Want to know how to reuse candle jars after the wax melts down? Follow these tips!
Here’s how to reuse your old candle jars and give them a brand-new purpose!
Those empty candle jars that are too pretty to toss won’t collect dust any longer with these easy ideas on how to reuse them!
Once the wax melts down, it’s easy to get them cleaned up so that they can serve a greater purpose around the house! Plus, we love helping to save the planet with frugal upcycling tips.
I’m addicted to buying all the yummy-smelling Bath & Body Works candles, and I quickly noticed a collection of empty jars gathering in my home.
Instead of tossing my old candles in the trash, I thought, why not turn them into something handy like containers for small bathroom supplies, beauty products, craft supplies, or pantry storage – the options are endless!
Cleaning them out can be difficult, but I know just the trick! 😉
The secret to cleaning glass candle jars is to freeze them for at least a few hours. Then you’ll be able to use a butter knife to crack the wax easily and remove it. The metal wick at the bottom will also come off easily – just get under it with a butter knife and wiggle it off. Voila!
Trash or save the excess wax, it’s up to you! As an idea, you could also save it and place the wax in your favorite wax warmer. I can smell the leftover pumpkin spice already!
Removing the labels is easier than you’d think, too!
The best approach to take is to first soak the jars in hot soapy water. Then they will usually come off pretty easily. If there’s still a little wax residue inside the glass, place it in the microwave for a few seconds to help melt and it will be easier to wipe clean.
Hip2Save reader, Barb, suggested an alternative cleaning method. She puts boiling water in her jars and the heat makes the wax break down and rise to the top. When cool, it’s easy to remove the floating disk of wax!
Hip tip for reusing your candle jars: For removing super stubborn adhesive residue, consider using acetone, Goo Gone, or when all else fails, spray it with WD-40 and let sit overnight. It should magically come off in the morning!
If you’re looking for a more all-natural approach and plan to place edibles inside of your jars, one of our readers suggested using lemon essential oil to get any remaining glue off. 🙌
Here are some fun ideas for re-purposing your jars:
1. Make beautiful bathroom apothecary jars.
To create some pretty apothecary jars for my bathroom, I glued some inexpensive clear glass knobs to the top of metal candle covers. Also, to make sure that the knobs stand the test of time, I used some heavy-duty e6000 craft glue.
I’m so happy with how they look on the bathroom counter! 😍 I chose to add cotton balls and Q-tips to mine, but you can add any small bathroom necessities that you want. Plus, it doubles as some pretty gorgeous home decor.
“I have been doing this for a couple of years. I painted the candle jars after they were cleaned so they match the décor in my bathroom and in my bedroom. They hold tampons, Q-tips, earrings, small samples of creams, and one on the dryer for my scent booster pebbles!” – Angela
2. Use them for small, sealed food items.
While we don’t recommend using these containers for open food items, you can still fill them with smaller food items that you want to keep on display, such as sugar packets at your coffee station or individually wrapped candies for your guests.
“After running them through my dishwasher a few times and making sure they’re sanitized, I put packets of sugar, creamers, and stevia all in jars in my coffee station! I even added some cute vinyl labels using my Cricut to give them a little custom touch and make them look even more decorative.” – Jess
Hip tip for reusing your candle jars: In order to get rid of the candle fragrance before placing your food items into the jars, readers suggested trying some of the following tricks:
- Run them through the dishwasher.
- Soak them in vinegar and baking soda.
- Place wadded-up newspaper inside to absorb the smell.
- Leave the lids off to air them out.
3. Place craft accessories to display and use.
If you’re reading this post, chances are you’re big into crafting like me! If you want a decorative and fun way to display all your favorite craft supplies, you can hang up some of our favorite floating shelves and fill them with your repurposed jars – they’ll look stunning with so many colorful buttons, ribbons, and whatever else your craft room has in store.
“I use them to hold craft items like buttons, safety pins, sea glass, etc. I have mentioned numerous times to Bath and Body Works employees that they should start an in-store recycling program with a discount incentive. It’s a shame they aren’t reused more often!” – Julia
“My husband and daughter are artists and they put decorative sand and rocks in them. They also use them to hold paintbrushes, sharpies, blades for matting, etc.” – Rosa
4. Use them as table centerpieces.
Do you have a special event coming up soon? We’re always looking for frugal ways to make milestone moments even more special while staying on budget. Consider reusing your candle jars as vases for fresh flowers at your wedding, graduation, baby shower, or any special occasion you have coming up.
“I used them for centerpiece vases for fresh flowers at my daughter’s graduation open house. Looked great. Crisscrossed clear floral tape across the top to hold the flowers up.” – Steph
“We collected used candle jars to use as part of centerpiece decor for our daughter’s bridal shower and wedding. We filled them with sand, added small seashells and paired them with additional tealight votives for simple decor at her shower. I have three daughters so I continue to save these in anticipation of using again for more weddings and hopefully for future baby showers!” – Sherri
“I’ve made many really neat things for fundraisers with refurbished BBW jars & lids. Even snow globes! Wish I could show a pic of one I just finished. The one I have done had modgepodge painted inside the jar then sprinkled with glitter. Lid has elephant design with trinkets and sparkly paints. Endless possibilities!!”
– Christy
5. Place all your makeup brushes in them.
Having the perfect storage solution for all your makeup makes life so much easier when you’re getting ready in the morning! Plus, with these Bath and Body Works candles, you’ll likely just need one jar to have enough room for all your essentials.
6. Store all your hair accessories.
Hair ties come and go in our house and having a place to store them all will ensure you’ll never be trying to hunt one down during your morning rush again! You can also consider throwing in some clips, bobby pins, or whatever else you have trouble finding when you need to get ready!
“I love this idea! I am going to use these to store my daughter’s ponytail holders on her bathroom sink. The knobs Lina shared above also make them look so much prettier!” – Heather
