4 Creative Ideas For What To Do With Used Candles
Recently we talked about what to do with old scented candles, and you loved the post so much that we thought we should share our secrets for unscented candles, too. So today we will take you through some ideas on what to do with used candles!
When pillar candles and dinner candles dwindle towards their end, extend their lives by putting them to good use elsewhere. Make sure you have a few spare candles and candle supplies around the house so that when the time comes, you won’t have to use a new one for these simple tasks.
What to do with used candles:
1. Waterproof envelopes, shipping labels and recipes
If you’re one of the lucky people fitted out with a tablet computer, you’ve probably taken advantage of its convenience as a recipe reference in the kitchen. For those of us not in the iPad age yet, there are still recipe books, cards and notes – and they’re just as bothersome as ever when it comes to kitchen spills and stains.
There is, however, a simple way to keep them in pristine condition. If you’re wondering what to do with used candles, try lightly rubbing a white candle over the paper to protect it from stains and moisture in just a few seconds.
The same goes for envelopes and shipping labels. If you’re afraid that the ink on your label may be rained out, just rub over the address with your old taper candles and worry no more.
2. Lubricate sticky drawers, hinges, zips and latches
Who needs WD-40 - here’s another idea for what to do with used candles! You can use a taper candle almost anywhere you would use a lubricator. Rub it on the bottoms of drawers, on zippers, and inside hinges and latches. Make sure you open and close the parts a few times to spread the wax and let it set.
3. Use as an incense stick holder
If you have incense sticks to burn, but no stick holder, just insert a stick into a used candle while the wax is still soft. When the incense burns, the ashes will be caught inside the candle holder - another great option if you’re wondering what to do with used candles!
4. Fill dents in wooden furniture
Whether it’s flooring, chairs or doors, a spot of wax and a furniture repair marker will do the trick. Just rub your used taper candles over the spot, or for deeper dents, melt the wax by carefully pouring boiling water on it. With a plastic credit card, scrape off any excess wax. Then use a furniture marker to colour it to match the surrounding wood. If you make a mistake or need to remove the wax, you can always use a hair dryer to gently melt it, then a paper towel to soak it up and wipe it away.
After looking at clever DIY ideas for old candles we thought we’d share an inspiration for new ones too! Using ribbons to dress up your candles is really simple – and really effective. These pillar candles have been wrapped in pearl and ribbon roll to create a table display in shades of cream and white that would work well for a wedding.
Whether it’s figuring out what to do with used candles or how to use new ones - Koch have all the ideas you’re looking for on our Blog!