How NOT to Make Candles

…or, how to get your stove cleaner than it’s ever been.

This week, I spontaneously decided that I needed to make a candle. Never mind that I’d never actually done it before, other than a dipped candle experiment back in 5th grade camp; I was confident that I could figure it out.

I started by setting up a double boiler using two pots, but since I wasn’t ready to sacrifice any of my cookware to becoming a wax pot, I figured I could simply melt the wax in the glass jar I intended to use for the candle. Easy, right?

Those of you who’ve made candles before probably see where I’m going with this…

I got into a meditative zone fairly quickly, singing under my breath as I stirred the wax. I was careful to pick out the old wicks (I was using unused candles to melt down and make my own, custom, beautiful jar), and I picked out the oils I planned to use. I prepped my new wick, rigging up a cross of toothpicks to balance on top of the jar, keeping the wick straight while the wax dried.

When the wax was clear and smooth as honey, I turned off the burner and carefully lifted the jar out of the double boiler. Everything slowed down for a moment, and then the bottom of the jar fell off in one solid piece, and wax went EVERYWHERE.

Seriously, three days later, my hubby and I are STILL excavating the stove. (Note: Brillo Pads sell a soap and brillo pod combination, and that seems the most effective…it’s also brutalized my fingernails, but better that then leaving flammable wax on a gas stove!)

I haven’t given up on making my own candles, but next time, I’ll sacrifice a pot instead of boiling a jar to death.

Do you have some tips for making candles? Any secrets you’ve learned along the way?