Can you refill candle jars with new candles?

Yes, you absolutely can, and I will show you how to do it!

Have you spent so much money on beautiful candles or received them as gifts?

What do you do with those pretty empty jars?

As a candle maker, several customers return their old jars to me. I clean and refill them with new candles and scents so they can burn new candles again.

I will guide you through refilling candle jars with new candles. You can do this repeatedly, saving money and stopping the jars from being thrown away.

 

This post is all about refilling candle jars, which every candle lover should know.

 

Refill Candle Jars

 

Step 1 – Cleaning the Jars

This will be the most time-consuming step in the process. Wax is sometimes challenging to deal with, but following this method will make it a breeze. Different types of waxes have different properties. For example, Beeswax is super tacky and hard and does not handle well when it is in a solid state. Soy wax, on the other hand, is soft, creamy, and has an oily texture, allowing you to wipe it clean easily.

I use a heat gun to remove my wax from any vessel. It is quick and easy, but you must be careful. The gun makes the jars very hot, and you don’t want to burn yourself or cause a fire. I always handle the jars with a cloth or tissue, providing a barrier between my hands! An oven mitt would also be a good choice here.

Set up a garbage vessel; I usually use a couple of old paper bags lined together or a box if I have one. When the wax is hot, it can leak out, so you want to ensure that whatever you’re using won’t seep out all over your workspace. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but please make sure to use something you can throw away.

Place the jar on your work surface, hold the heat gun above the jar and old candle wax; it will start to melt down. Once it is good and hot, use a spoon or knife and begin to pry out the old wax and wicks, pouring it into the garbage vessel. Repeat with the heat gun until most of the wax is gone. At this point, you can use a tissue to wipe out any leftover wax bits; the black soot on the jar should also wipe off easily at this stage.

Here is a sample of the heat gun I use.

Now, you’ll take all your jars and wash them thoroughly with hot, soapy water. This step removes any remaining wax and black soot marks. After washing them, I spray them out with isopropyl alcohol and tissue as an extra step to ensure disinfecting and squeaky-clean jars. This step isn’t necessary if you don’t have alcohol on hand, but it can be an option.

Step 2 –  Selecting your new fragrances

This is my favourite part: selecting new fragrances. I line up all my jars, separated into sizes, and pick the fragrance for each set. I usually end up with three candles with the same fragrance or two or four. The number of jars you are filling will be determined by step.

Separating the sizes will help you determine how much wax you will use and how much fragrance to calculate for.

Here’s an example:

3 jars – 1 x 8oz size, 1 x 4oz size, 1 x 16oz size

You have 28oz of jar space to calculate your necessary wax and fragrance amounts.

Step 3 – Melt your wax and wick the jars.

This step is technically a two-step process, but wax can take a while to melt. While your wax is melting, you can use the time to wick your jars.

You will re-wick the candle jars with the appropriate wick size for the diameter of the jar. You can mix it up; I use a combination of wood wicks and cotton braided wicks. This is all about preference here.

Step 4 – Adding fragrance to the wax and refilling your candle jars

Now you’re almost done with the process. This last step is quite simple. You can add your fragrance to the wax at the right temperature. Your wax and oils may vary in fragrance load and temperatures, so be mindful of those two things.

Once you’ve added the fragrance and stirred it into the wax, you can pour it into your vessels. Make sure to let it harden overnight before you trim the wicks. That’s it—you’re done!

Most candles require a curing time before burning. The time depends on the wax type, but two weeks is a good standard.

Repouring, reusing, and refilling old candle jars can reduce your spending on new candles, keep jars out of landfills, and give them a new life. It is an excellent option for upcycling. I’ve seen some beautiful candle vessels; throwing them away is always hard! I encourage you to refill your jars, visit your local candle maker to ask if they can provide this option, or donate them to your local thrift shops!

This post was all about how to refill candle jars to make new candles.