How to Remove Soy Wax from Jars

You’ve seen all of those adorable reused candle jar crafts on Pinterest, but how can you get that extra wax out of the bottom of you jar without risking broken glass?

Easy! Well – at least when you’re talking about soft, soy-based waxes.

This little tutorial will be perfect for those of you who want to move from spending too much money on candles to recycling your purchases for another use.

Before we get started, the best way to make use of this tutorial is after burning your candle correctly – if you need advice on how to get your candles to look like mine in the photos below, please check out my tutorial on how to burn a candle. I know – it sounds silly – but once you start burning candles properly, you won’t go back!

Set candles in hot tap water

Start by setting your burnt candles in a sink of hot tap water. You’ll only need to use enough water to cover the wax line.

After a few minutes, push on the corner of the wax to see if it’s melted – it will pop up easily when ready

After a few minutes, test your wax. It should be soft around the edges – but the real test will come when you are able to push down on one edge and pop the whole piece of wax out. It’s surprisingly easy.Then you’ll just need to wipe the excess wax out and wash with soap and water – your candle dish will now be ready to re-purpose!

Push used wicks out of the wax

To reuse the wax, push the wicks out of the candle.

Add used wax to your next batch

Pop your extra wax into your next batch if you so desire.

But what if you’re wax didn’t pool perfectly on the bottom of your jar? Don’t resort to a knife – try the same technique with just a little more water to cover the edges!

The wax might not pop out in one neat piece, but after a few minutes in warm water it will be loose enough for you to remove piece by piece.