Candles give a wonderful ambiance to your home. They are great for home decoration or gifting to loved ones. Making a candle is a simple and fun task, and a fantastic outlet for your creativity. You can make your own candles by following the simple steps given below.
Things You Will Need:
1. Candle molds
2. Wax or old candles
3. Candle wicks
4. Candle scents
5. Gloves
6. Scented or aromatic oils (optional)
7. Vegetable oil
8. Stove or boiler
9. Water
10. Pot
11. Coffee tin
12. Pencil
13. Newspaper
14. Knife
15. Wax dyes or wax crayons (optional)
Let’s Begin The Project!
1.Pick a mold. First pick out a mold for your candle. You can use any steel or glass container as your mold or, invest in special candle-making molds. These can be purchased from any special project or hobby shops.
2. Put the pot on the stove. Put a medium-sized pot on the stove, fill it with a couple of inches of water and change the heat settings on high. Fill a coffee tin with wax (or old candles), and place it inside the pot. Leave the wax on the stove until it reaches the melting temperature.
3. Pour the wax into the mold. Once the wax is liquefied, pour it into the mold. Leave a little space at the top – this will make removing the finished candle easier.
4. Position the wick in the mold. While the wax is still hot, place your wick into the center of mold. Wrap the end of the wick around a pencil and rest the pencil over the top of mold. This holds the wick in the center of wax while it cools. Be careful not to submerge the entire wick.
5. Making colored candles- Once the wax has melted, add the dye. You can also use wax crayons – grind the crayon into tiny pieces and stir to mix the color thoroughly.
6. Making scented candles- Scented candles can be made by adding four to five drops of scented or aromatic oils to the wax when it is still warm. Keep in mind to not add the scent oils when the wax is very hot, let it cool a little.
7. Let the wax cool down. Wait for the wax to cool down completely. Most candles need a day before you can remove them from the mold. Now we separate the candle from its mold. If the candles does not slide out, you can use a knife to pry it out from the edges.
9.Decorate the candle. Dried flowers and leaves, or ribbons can be used to decorate the candle. Unleash your creativity!
Quick Tips
1. Cover your work area with a newspaper before you begin the project – dried wax is notoriously hard to remove.
2. Rub the inside of the mold with vegetable oil – this will allow you to remove your candle easily.
3. Always use a blunt knife to scrape the wax spilled in the work area or floor.
4. Do not overheat the wax as it can catch fire.
Things To Watch Out For:
1. Never leave wax unattended whilst heating – it is highly flammable.
2. Children can get burnt from the open flame or hot wax. So child-proof the area if making candles at home.
3. Wear gloves to avoid burning your finger with hot wax.
4. Use baking soda instead of water to heat the wax if you have a wax fire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What type of fragrances should be used to make scented candles?
Look for oil-based scents as they work best in scented candles.
