Different Ways To Use Wax Candles
Candles are objects found in almost every
household and are used in a variety of forms, such as heating, lighting
and combustible materials, but these aren’t the only things that can be
done with wax candles, and they have several other useful uses. In this
article, you’ll learn about 11 other ways to use candles that will
surprise and improve your everyday life. After reading these helpful
tips, you’ll never again throw away fully or partially used candles!
1. Natural lubricant for doors and drawers
A squeaky door or a drawer that opens with great difficulty - these are
troublesome problems that after a while can no longer be ignored. The
most common method for fixing these problems is the use of chemical
sprays which often harm the environment, but to avoid this, you can use a
normal candle wax instead.
How do you do this?
Fix a creaking door:
Take the creaking door of the hinges and rub candle wax on them.
Put the door back in place, open and close it several times to
evenly distribute the wax on all parts of the hinges and the noise will
disappear.
If you find it difficult to remove the door from the hinges, try
rubbing the hinge with a candle and opening and closing the door several
times until the noise disappears.
Also, if it’s hard to open the door due to friction in the lock area
or panes, you can rub a candle on these areas as well.
Open and close the door several times until opening is easier and
smoother.
"Lubricate" stuck drawers that are difficult to open and close:
Remove the drawer from its place.
Empty it and rub its tracks with a candle along the whole length, on both sides.
Return the empty drawer, open and close it so that the wax dissolves and is evenly spread along the inner rails.
Once the drawer opens and closes easily you can fill it back up, and now it will be easier to use.
2. Make brand new candles
If you have a few half-burned candles lying around the house, you can
melt them down and create new candles of your own. Candle making is a
pleasant experience for both adults and children, and you can create
special candles as a creative activity with your children on cold and
rainy days where you can’t leave the house.
How do you do this?
Simply collect all the candle remnants you have, including scented
candles.
Melt the candles in a double pot with boiling water (Bain Marie).
Add color into the melted wax if you want your candle to be a
certain shade.
Choose a container to pour your candle into - this can be any
plastic, glass or metal container in your home, of a regular or special
shape, completely up to you.
Now, take a wool thread and tie one end of it to a pencil.
Note that
the pencil is longer than the mouth of the container in which your
pouring your wax so that the thread doesn’t fall in.
Tie a metal nut to
the other end of the thread.
Place the end with the nut at the bottom of the container and lay
your pencil over the containers opening.
Now pour the melted wax into the container and allow the candle to
solidify.
3. Sealant for doors and windows
There are cases in which a wind penetrates or enters the room through
cracks in the door or window frame, which can be very bothersome.
Instead of using products such as acrylic gum or chemical sealants to
seal the crack, you can do so with candle wax. By fixing these cracks,
your home's temperature will be maintained and you won’t need to
excessively heat or cool it, saving your money.
How do you do this?
Heat the candle wax a little until it becomes soft, but not liquid.
Move the candle along the existing crack or space.
Press the wax with your fingers along the cracks and let it cool.
Fill again if necessary.
4. Opening and closing a stuck zipper
A stuck zipper is one of the most irritating things you can encounter
when it comes to clothing. In order to solve the problem, you can make
use of a wax candle.
How do you do this?
Simply rub the candle on both sides of the zipper, close and unzip
the garment several times and the problem will be quickly fixed.
5. Water resistant fabric shoes
Hiking near water sources or walking on rainy days with fabric shoes
isn’t the most pleasant of experiences, especially when your shoes get
soaked down to your socks. To avoid this problem, you’ll need only two
products: a candle and a blow dryer. To find out more about how to make
this work, click here and you can learn how waterproof your fabric
shoes.
6. Breeze resistant camping candles
Have you ever tried to light a fire outdoors only to be defeated time
and again by the wind? With the next trick, you can create a candle that
is resistant to light breezes.
How do you do this?
Take a piece of lint of any size, from which you’ll want to make the
candle.
Place the lint in the center of a plastic or cardboard container,
such as an egg mold, or a deep aluminum pan.
In a double pot (Ben Marie), melt any leftover candles.
Once the wax has melted, pour it generously over the lint so that it
gets soaked up and fills the container around it.
Leave the tip of the lint sticking up so that it can be used as a
wick (it should also be covered in wax), and let the candle solidify
again.
Once it solidifies release the candle from the container, and use it
the next time you go camping.
7. Repair scratches and small indents in
furniture
Wood furniture is something we hope will last and serve us for many
years, but over time, when wood is scratched or beaten from various
objects, visible scratches or dents are created that can damage the
aesthetics and the furniture. repairing these indents and engravings can
be done easily without involving a professional.
How do you do this?
Rub a used or new candle on the damaged area, and fill the entire
slot with wax.
Using a wood marker, paint the wax in a shade that matches the
furniture.
Allow the paint to dry for a few minutes, and the wood will look
like new.
8. Scented bags for closets or rooms
In almost every home these days you can find fragrant candles, but if
you don’t use these candles and just leave them in open spaces they
collect dust and lose their smell over time. If you want your home
smelling good, you should candle shavings into organza or other fabric
bags that you can make yourself from pantyhose.
How do you do this?
Grate different scented (or singles scented candles and place the
shavings in a cloth bag.
Rub the contents of the bag with your fingers to separate the
shavings, tie the open part of it, and place it in the closet or in
different spaces around the house.
Every few weeks, rub the lumps a bit so that they regain their
scent.
9. Hidden messages
The following use of birthday candles or white candles to create hidden
messages can be an enjoyable activity to experience with your kids, who
might I add, will be extremely intrigued
How do you do this?
Give your child a piece of white paper and ask them to write or draw
something with candle wax.
Now hold the paper over the sink and pour a little of your coffee or
a glass of water with a little food coloring over it.
The message or drawing will appear on the page as if by magic
because the wax won’t absorb the color.
Another way to do this is to let the child brush the paper with a
brush dipped in colored water.
10. Repair scratches and abrasions on
leather items
Leather products are often easily scratched and damaged and sometimes it
seems that nothing can be done to fix them. However, this next tip can
do the trick.
How can this be done?
Melt about a quarter cup of wax in a double pot over a small flame.
Add 1 teaspoon of canola oil and stir well.
Apply some of the mixture to the damaged leather, and rub with a
soft cloth until the defect can no longer be seen.
If the mixture solidifies before you finish, heat the wax slightly
until it reaches a liquid state and repeat as necessary.
11. Waterproof paper
The next tip is one of the most effective in this collection because
almost everyone has needed to protect a document or note of sorts - for
example, reusable labels. You can also protect an old recipe and not
worry about it getting wet the next time you use it. Waterproofing paper
is easier than you think, and all you need is a candle.
How can this be done?
Write down what you want to write on a sticker, paper or cardboard.
Light a candle until the wax is melted, then run the candle over the
page so that the wax spills on it forming a protective layer.If there
are lumps of wax on the paper, press them down to spread them across the
paper.
Now you have a waterproof paper!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Never heat wax in a frying pan or pot or place it
directly over the gas or other electronic appliance. The only way to
melt wax is in a pot placed over another pot filled with boiling water
(Bain Marie). Direct heating can create an explosion that can spray
boiling wax and cause severe burns.