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Household Uses for Candles and Candle Wax

Everyday Advice for Burning Candles in the Home

Catherine Boeckmann
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If you burn candles in your home—especially around the holidays—consider these household candle tips and everyday uses for candle wax.

Candles and Candle Wax

  • To remove candle wax from cloth, use the dull edge of a knife to scrape off as much wax as possible. Place several paper towels on both sides of the fabric and iron on a low setting. Change the towels often as the wax is absorbed into them.
  • Place candles in the freezer overnight to prevent them from dripping. They will also burn longer.
  • To make a candle fit snugly, pour hot water into the candleholder, let it heat up a bit, then pour the water out and stick candle in immediately.
  • Rub candle wax on wooden drawers to make them open with ease.
  • Saw teeth rubbed with a candle will cut wood more easily, and the candle wax will protect the blade from rusting.
  • Before the first snowstorm, rub your shovel with an old candle stub, and the snow will easily slide off.
  • To predict the weather, just blow out a lit candle. If the wick smolders longer than usual, rain is coming. If the wick goes out quickly, look for fair weather.

One way to add a homemade touch to your holiday table without much expense is to make a festive Candle Decoration.

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Household Tips
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

G M (not verified)

2 weeks 2 days ago

Rub the end of a candle on the full length of a closed zipper then open a close the zipper a couple of times. It will make it work a lot easier.

Ray Stokes (not verified)

2 years 11 months ago

If anyone is having trouble getting old wicks and wax out of the bottom of a glass candle holder do this. Put it in the freezer and let it freeze real good then take a butter knife push down in and twist. It will break lose and you can dump it out! Ray

Pat Bryan (not verified)

9 years 9 months ago

I bough a covered glass candle at Belk,s. Having trouble getting the wick thing out. Have used GOO GONE to get residue out. Soaked holder inside with water,also. Then, tried DAWN. Still can NOt get it out. Also, tried a butter knife! Help!This is me-am registered with u!
! Thanks a bunch!! PB

Have you tried using a lighter or match to melt the area around the wick? Use tweezers to lift out the wick while melting the wax.

candycandy (not verified)

10 years 11 months ago

If you want to clean you carpet from the wax fill a waterproof plastic bag with ice and lay it on top of the wax stain. Allow the wax to freeze. Make sure the wax stain is not getting wet from leaks or condensation, as moisture will make the stain harder to get out.As soon as the spill happens, resist the urge to wipe up the hot wax; you will only end up spreading it around and making a larger mess that you will have to clean up later. Try to keep it contained to its original size.

nina haynes (not verified)

12 years 8 months ago

very helpful thank you