Any ideas for old candles ?

[sarahkeast]

Any ideas for uses of old candle wax ? The wick has burnt down and the 'fat' bit of the candle didnt melt ?

Suggestions ? other than melting the wax and making more, that is way in the future when there is hobby time rather than fixing up house and garden time....

Thanks

Sarah

[growingthings]

collect up some pine cones, and cover them in the melted wax, pop them on parchment to harden off, and you have some fantastic firelighters

I often make these for gifts for friends with open fire / woodburners

Lorna

[Green Aura]

Even without the pine cone chopped up bits of candle are great as a firelighter or to revive a flagging fire.

You could also use them to wax the sides of drawers, curtain rods etc to give a better slide and stop things sticking.

And a good scribble with a candle, around eges of furniture, before applying the top coat give something to sand back to give the distressed look (not my favourite style but each to their own)

[shiela_robins]

Melting those old candles and making art out of it. Prolly some decorations you can put around the house.

[StripyPixieSocks]

Rub onto doors that stick both on the frame and the door and it provides a grease of sorts and helps it not stick.

My Granddad used to rub it on his saw blades to make sawing more fluid and easy.

Melt them and make those garden torches you see in supermarkets for a fortune.

I'm sure Google would give you lots of inspiration and good ideas too... there must be other people asking the same questions

[red]

melt them, and made new candles

[Thomzo]

collect up some pine cones, and cover them in the melted wax, pop them on parchment to harden off, and you have some fantastic firelighters

I often make these for gifts for friends with open fire / woodburners

Lorna

That's funny as I've just come across this idea in an old book and have made a batch. The book used cup cake cases, with pine cones and herbs. I didn't have any pine cones so used teasles instead, with bay leaves. I short piece of wick helps to light it but they do make fantastic firelighters and they certainly look pretty enough to give as presents.

Zoe

[indy]

must admit I melt them all down to make new ones, I end of up with great multi coloured ones but will definately try the pine cone idea, have not tried that before

[Keaniebean]

Sorry for the dim question, but is the pinecone firelighter idea for any old candle or will it only work for beeswax candles?

I would love to make some for my mum as she is having a woodburner put in at some point this year.

[Big Al]

Sorry for the dim question, but is the pinecone firelighter idea for any old candle or will it only work for beeswax candles?

I would love to make some for my mum as she is having a woodburner put in at some point this year.

It will work with any wax. other ideas include mixing with sawdust for firelighters and if it is / was scented wax then cut bits up and put in a potpurri burner in place of the fragrance oil and water. use a tealight underneath to fragrance your room longer.

I was wondering just t'other if I could use a wax candle to waterproof the walking boots? any thoughts peeps?

[Millymollymandy]

I have tried melting old candles down to make new ones, bought the new wicks and moulds etc.

They don't work! For some reason they burn for a while and then the WHOLE candle just melts. Making a big mess of furniture, floor etc.

So I don't do THAT any more!

[Jinwin]

If you have children:

Drawing 'secret' patterns on paper with the candle end then painting over to reveal them!

[Keaniebean]

Cheers Big Al, definately a job for a rainy day, or something to keep the kids amused during half term or something. The three of them in a small space can be very very..

[indy]

I pour the melted candle wax into old glass jars that I can't use for jams and things, stops it leaking all over the place

[frozenthunderbolt]

I was wondering just t'other if I could use a wax candle to waterproof the walking boots? any thoughts peeps?

no worries, but i would suggest mixing 1/2 and 1/2 ish with boiled linseed oil or some other stabilized oil (ie one that wont go rancid) as it will make a soft paste that is more absorb-able by the leather. If you are very careful in your melting it is also helpful to add a small quantity of turpentine to give the mix a greater penetrating ability.