We all have perfumes and colognes sitting around that we no longer wear. So instead of doing nothing with them; I CAREFULLY spray, or drop, a little into the bottom of a candle votive and insert an unscented tea-light candle (with the foil bottom). Be careful, as there is alcohol in the perfume or cologne that can be flammable (as are most scented oils). However, I have been doing this for years with no problem. No need to buy more expensive tealight candles that lose their scent after a few minutes!
By Patty from East Peoria, Illinois
Though tempting, this is not a good idea at all. Using Perfume that's meant for your body is NOT safe in candles and can potentially put off toxic fumes. There are special fragrance oils that are specifically made for scenting candles. You may even find what chandlers call a dupe, meaning a scent that is a duplicated scent of a perfume. Many of the popular perfumes have dupes and you can buy these fragrance oils from someone like me, a chandler (fancy word for candle maker), or from a chandler supplier.
Per the National Candle Association; "Various health and safety tests are conducted on the raw fragrance materials that are used in candles and other consumer products. Reputable candle manufacturers use only expertly-formulated fragrances specifically approved for candle use." I hope you enjoy finding your candle dupes and the wonderful fragrance oils available to everyone safely! :D
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A tip for anyone who is an avid candle burner. An easy way to trim your wick before lighting your candle is to use nail clippers. I found they reach perfectly into jar candles, and makes them burn more evenly.
Take non stick cooking spray and spray the inside of the holder. After the candle is done burning, the last bit of wax will just fall out.
Eliminate the waste of any soy candle that may be stuck to the walls of a jar, burning all of it, not just 80%. Some candles do not do this and burn all the way down, but it has to do with the size of the wick.
We laughed at the "absurd directions" for a large jar candle (20 oz) we had just purchased: "burn candle for at least four hours". We experimented with several and this is what we we found.
When you light candles at holiday times, write down the number of candles lit and inform someone where the piece of paper is that has the candle information on it.
Instead of buying fancy plates to set my large candles on, I use inexpensive salad plates either from my house or yard sales.
To prevent wasting candles, simply "HUG" your candle each time before you blow it out. Cup both hands around the top of the candle and fold the softened wax toward the wick area.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How can I make a hole in a large candle and put a tea candle in to glow and save the large candle?
By Susan from Apsley Ontario, Canada
Take the tea light and put it in the center of the big candle. Trace it with something and cut that hole out. Drop the candle in and your good.
I wish to use taper candles in a holder that has a center prong. How do I prevent the candle from breaking/cracking?
Warm the bottom ever so slightly and it will make all the difference. Hope that helps!!
My husband insists the windows will get waxy smears on them that will be difficult to clean, if I burn candles. I love candles and would love to burn some this holiday season. Any suggestions?
By Judy D.
You should not have problems if you follow some simple steps:
a. Choose quality candles. They have been formulated (amount of wax, hardeners, scent/color) to burn as cleanly as possible.
b. Keep the wick trimmed. It shouldn't be so long as to cause the flame to really flicker and create any black smoke. You may have to do this periodically as they burn. Just use your scissors, then you can wipe the soot from them with a paper towel.
c. Don't overdo. You don't need 35 candles to create scent and ambiance.
Enjoy.
I also should have mentioned: do not burn candles in a room that you are not in. Be careful where you place them, you don't want a breeze to blow the flame into something else, nor blow something else into the flame. Keep them far from anything flammable. Do not burn jar candles to the very bottom of the jar. No real candles on the Christmas Tree.
If in doubt, there are battery operated candles that are quite nice--even some scented ones.
Hopefully others will post candle safety tips, too. There are far too many holidays ruined by house fires!
Yes, if you use soy -based candles or other better types, rather than the ones from the dollar store (alas!) there won't be soot! They soy-based candles are now available in major brands at drug and grocery stores.
They will and so will your lungs and everything else in your house. It is just like smoking a cigarette. Small decorations that use tiny bulbs will give you the same effect.
Look for beeswax candles but be aware real beeswax tapers and pillar candles are incredibly expensive. They are smokeless and pretty much dripless, though.
But the best, safest thing really would be to use battery operated candles. I'm using battery operated tea lights set inside recycled jars to sit on my windowsills; very pretty and look just like the real thing especially when standing on the outside looking in. So do the battery operated tapers, btw.
How many candles are you burning and how clean does your house have to be? I have never heard of anything like this. People burn candles all the time; there is no residue on windows that is difficult to remove!
A candle is not like cigarettes or a campfire, even if it is the cheapest little candle available. Candles do not set off smoke detectors, which should indicate to one and all how insignificant the amount of smoke that they emit is!
Oh yes they do....They leave a thin film of wax on windows. It is hard to get off because, well because it is wax. My window washer taught me this.I still burn candles-but now I wash the windows myself.Where do you think the wax goes when it is 'vaporized'.?
Where can I buy a taper candle stabilizer?
By Susan T.
They are available on Amazon... candle grippers... about 5 bucks.
Is it necessary to put some water in candle holder (glass like candle holders) before placing tea candles in them?
By Pavitra M
No. If you get the tea light candles that have the little metal tray around them, that will catch the wax. Now, if you want to fancy it up, pour in some water then just enough oil to cover the top and take the metal off the candle.
When the tea candle has burned down to the point only liquid wax remains and the wick continues to burn, is it okay to keep the flame without damaging the glass holder?
How can I make the candle width smaller so as to put the glass cover over it? Any suggestions other than shaving?
How many candles and what sizes should I put in my 18 square meter room, 6m long and 3m wide so that it will smell good? How long does the smell usually last? Thanks in advance.
By Ric. L
Your question cannot be easily answered as scented candles can be made out of multiple kinds of wax, lightly scented or heavily scented, and only YOU will know what the right amount of scent for YOU and your space. Some folks dislike strong scents, others love them! Soy candles are nice and have a good scent throw. The "throw" is the fragrance strength both lit and unlit. You'll have to experiment with a scented candle you like. I would advise you put them in different places in the room because it is a VERY large room you have there!
Per the National Candle Association, always use proper safety when using candles.
1. Never leave a burning candle unattended.
2. Never burn a candle on or near anything that might catch fire.
3. Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.
As a Chandler, I advise you avoid placing your candles where they will be directly exposed to sunlight or harsh indoor lighting, such as spotlights, they may fade or change colors. Also, avoid spots where there is a draft or a lot of traffic. Always use a candle holder, candle plate, or votive cup.
I make candles from margarita glasses sometimes and they get loose and fall out. What am I doing wrong?
By Annie
Essentially the problem here is that wax does not adhere very well to glass.
When the candles fall out of the glasses, you can glue them to the glass, melt more wax to try to adhere the candles again, try double sided tape, any number of possibilities to solve the problem.
You can also try an online search and find many answers such as this one:
When filling jars with wax the wax should not be hot or it will sink in the middle and pull away from the sides and it will pull the wick over as well.
After melting the wax let it cool down to "warm" not hot and then pour in about 1/2 inch of wax and let it harden. Then pour another 1/2 inch and so on until the jar is full. Do not try to speed it up by putting it in the fridge. That will cause it pull away from the sides as well.
If they are already made, you can try to correct it by putting them under a "warm", not hot, heat lamp. This will melt the surface of the wax and even it out.
When the wax is completely hard, it should take on the exact shape of the glass.
Source:
Experienced candle maker
Melted wax from the very end of candles can be repurposed in many ways. Find ways to use your leftover candle wax or share your own ideas here.
When its time to blow out the candles dip the wick into the wax to stop it from smoking. This is a page about extinguish candle into melted wax to avoid smoke.
It can be easy to have more candles than you can properly display or use. This is a page about storing candles.
Storing your candles in the freezer can help extend their life. This is a page about freezing candles before use.
If your candle is too large to fit in the candle holder, you can shave it down to make the end smaller. This is a page about making candles fit into candle holders.
If your candles have sat around for a while without use, they can get dusty. This is a page about cleaning candles.
Lighting candles takes some care to keep from burning your fingers. This is a page about lighting candles.
