Melted Candle Wax-Can I Rescue?

10 years ago

We have a pair of really pretty Holiday candles that we evidently stored in the hot attic on their sides, so the wax melted and flopped over.

This rendered the candles unable to be lit.

I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a safe way to get the wax out so I can use tea candles inside. They're very pretty when lit. Pretty when unlit, too, but I'm bummed that I couldn't get to see them glow this year.

I bought them from Tuesday Morning a couple years back, so it won't be a huge loss if they can't be salvaged.

Thanks.

Featured Answer

joyfulguy

10 years ago

I was going to suggest that you stick the holder into a pot of boiling water (though not sure whether that'd melt the wax or not) ... but when I see the picture ... it looks as though it'd need a larger pot than many of the folks that I know sport - including the ones that frequent this place. I'm pretty sure that boiling water will melt wax.

Also wondered about microwave ... but figure that'd suffer from the same problem.

Does anyone know whether a microwave'll work if one were one to stand it on end? Or would that damage the microwave?

I just asked a couple of ladies here at the library ... and they wondered whether you'd mess up the microwave.

Their suggestion was, that if they were in that situation ... they'd probably throw it out.

The frugal fella'd find it hard to follow that "fixin'", without feeling further among friends.

Librarian, with enough years on her to have some worthwhile experience on which to draw, says that boiling water will melt the wax ... but she'd want to warm the holder in warm water first, in case the glass would crack from extreme heat, before the wax that it contained would have had time to warm well.

If you can warm it in a sink ... no, not tall enough (if you don't want to have melted wax in places that you're not happy with, if you lay it on its side and have the water hot enough to melt rather than simply warm it).

You'll need a bathtub, instead, probably: you could hold it between your knees, while going through the (limited, of necessity) usual motions.

That's about all of the advice/suggestions that I have to offer.

ole joyfuelled ... and the "joy fuel" may warm your heart - but doesn't help much with solidified candles that, like many people have "gotten out of shape"

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Comments (16)

sheilajoyce_gw
10 years ago
Put the candle in the freezer for a few hours and see if you can lift it out.
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Michelle, try putting them in a low oven on a cookie sheet, lined with foil (incase the jar breaks)...see if you can get them to melt a bit, so you can fish the wick out and make it upright..but then I'm not sure how you'll get the wick to center unless you stand there and hold it as it cools.. Might just want to get a candle warmer and make these "candle jars"...
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marcopolo5
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I would try putting it on the back part of your range . When you have something in the oven. The heat vents out of the stove, usually along back edge of cook top. The heat there should soften the bulk part of the wax so it will come out. When còoled, put in freezer and try popping the thinner layer off. Might work without breaking glass.
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User
10 years ago
Could you put them in your oven at the lowest setting to melt the wax?
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User
Original Author
10 years ago
I have wall ovens. I could try the lowest heat setting to gently warm.
KATHY
10 years ago
Freeze them!
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
10 years ago
Agree put it in the freezer to get wax very hard and it should easily pry out.
User thanked ravencajun Zone 8b TX
sjerin
10 years ago
Freezing is the standard fix for getting candle wax out of anything.
User thanked sjerin
hounds_x_two
10 years ago
And when you do get them cleaned up, spray the inside with Pam or some other cooking spray (not the kind with added flour) and the melted wax should always pop right out.
User thanked hounds_x_two
nanny98
10 years ago
Why not try to light that tiny spec of wick in order to just melt the 'flopped over' portion, then even it out by leveling the melted wax. Wouldn't freezing swell (expand)the wax; while "melting (with another, birthday size candle, maybe)" be a better way to go?
User thanked nanny98
KATHY
10 years ago
I freeze all of my candle holders to get wax out, including the little bowl the warmers use. Different shapes of holders sometimes require breaking the wax up to get it out. It really works like a charm though.
User thanked KATHY
joyfulguy
10 years ago
Do you folks have freezers that shrink the wax enough to get it out from a big belly through a narrow neck?

Not as hot an idea as warming sufficiently as to achieve at least a partial melt, I think.

ole joyful
rob333 (zone 7b)
10 years ago
I'd be really worried heating it would ruin the red portion of the holder??? Suggestion? Does it move at all if you gently put a tip of a knife inbetween the candle and holder? Believe it or not, most all pop out of my holders that way. I guess, If I heated it, I'd try to hold the bowl part over an open flame (obviously it can handle that as it's meant to hold one) a bit, until it moved? Maybe.
Olychick
10 years ago
I'd put a votive candle (not a tea light, but one without any kind of holder) in it and light and let burn in a safe place. The votive will burn down and melt/liquefy the old wax and when it's all liquid you can just pour it out or when it is softened from the heat of the burning votive, you can just fold it up and lift it out.
sheilajoyce_gw
10 years ago
I would try freezing it as I said above. Then see if you can pop the wax free from the side of the candle holder. Then twist the candle around to see if you can lift it through the opening. The fact that the candle melted and folded over on its side may actually help with changing the shape of it enough to remove it easily.
KATHY
10 years ago
I just break up the frozen wax with a wooden skewer.

Melted Candle Wax-Can I Rescue?

joyfulguy

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