It's that dreaded time again—your favorite candle just burnt out. Now you're stuck with either throwing it away or finding a way to repurpose it. But you've already repurposed a different candle vessel for your cotton swabs, and another as a small plant pot—what's next?
So, can you refill candles with new wax?
The quick answer is yes! You can absolutely refill your candle jar with a new candle! With the right tools and materials, refillable candles are a great, sustainable option to enjoy candle light. Read on to gather a few tips, tricks, and how-tos to get you refilling your own candles in no time.
The Benefits of Refilling Candle Containers
An estimated 2 billion candles are sold each year, with an equal or greater number ending up in landfills. Reusing candle containers helps you become more sustainable by reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfills. Reusing candle jars also helps to reduce energy consumption, as it takes less energy to produce a product from recycled materials than from new ones. This helps to reduce our carbon footprint by decreasing the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.
It takes the right tools, materials, and a little bit of effort, but with a bit of instruction, anyone can learn how to refill their candles.
Before we jump in—the refillable candle Starter Kit by ReCandle Co. may be what you need
We'll walk you through how you can refill your empty candles, but if you’re looking for an easier option, we’ve got you: the refillable candle Starter Kit by ReCandle Co. has taken the work out, so instead of buying the materials you need and spending time on making a new candle, you can get a new candle wax refill every month!
If you’re here about an existing empty candle jar, have no fear—we’re big believers in repurposing when you can! We’ve put together some of the best tips on how to get started, what you need, and how to refill your empty candle vessel at home.
What You Need to Know Before Refilling Your Candle Containers
Refilling your empty candle jar is a sustainable way to continue enjoying candles, but before you start refilling, it’s important to know some of the nuances of candle making. Understanding these basics will help ensure that you get the best results from your refilling project.
Your materials matter
Different waxes, wicks, and jars act differently. Starting with the wax, do your research and make sure you choose one that fits with your goals! For simplicity’s sake, we’d recommend trying soy or coconut wax. Golden Brands 464 Soy Wax is a great beginner-friendly wax to start with.
Your wick is dependent on your jar size
The wick you choose is hugely dependent on your jar size and the type of wax used. Candle Science has a great wick sizing guide, so make sure you know the diameter of your jar and the type of wax you’re using. From there, you’ll get a recommended wick to try.
The amount of fragrance oil required is determined by the amount of wax used
Lastly, it’s much easier if you’re planning on burning an unscented candle, but if you’re planning on using fragrance oil, consult your wax guide on what percentage of fragrance oil you'll need.
Getting all of the variables right can be hard. Candlemakers take months, and even years, to figure out the right combination of wick type/size and amount of fragrance oil. The good news is, our goal isn’t to be a professional candle maker! The goal is to be sustainable by refilling your candle. That means if you’re not fully satisfied with how your first candle burns, that’s okay. There's a lot to play around with, and it can be a fun puzzle to get it right!
How to Refill Your Own Candles at Home
Now that we’ve gone through some of the nuances to be aware of, you’re ready to start!
1. Remove the wax from your existing jar
There are a few easy ways to do this:- Pour hot water into the jar: this should pull the wax from the edges of your candle jar so it floats to the top. Once the water has cooled, pick out and throw away the wax, pour the water out, and dry. If you're having trouble, try a little soapy water to get any remaining pieces.
- Place in the freezer: when wax gets cold, it contracts, pulling it away from the edge of the jar. Leave your empty jar in the freezer for a few hours, and with a butter knife, carefully scrape out the remaining wax.
- Place the jar in a few inches of boiling water: This should melt any residual wax. Once it's liquid, carefully pour the wax into a trash can and wipe out any remaining wax with a paper towel.
2. Gather your materials and tools
As mentioned above, you should spend some time finding the right materials for the job. You’ll need:
- Your empty candle jar*
- Candle wax*
- A wick*
- A wick sticker*
- Fragrance oil
In terms of tools, you don’t need much to start! At minimum, we’d recommend:
- Pouring pitcher
- Saucepan*
- Food scale
- Thermometer
- Wick centering tool
*required, candle can’t be made without these items
3. Prep your materials and tools
There are a few things you’ll want to have prepared before you start. First, how much wax do you need?
Weigh your wax
If you’re refilling a candle jar, there should be a label on the front that shows how many oz and/or grams the candle is. This is a weighted amount, and tells you how much wax you’ll need! Using the food scale, measure out this amount of wax and put it in the pouring pitcher.
Calculate your fragrance oil
If you’re making a scented candle, the amount of fragrance oil you need is directly related to how much wax you’re melting. You’ll need to consult your wax type on the recommended amount of fragrance oil to use, and never go over the max fragrance.
To calculate how much fragrance oil you’ll need, this is a percentage of the wax weight. So your calculation will look like this:
Wax weight x % recommended fragrance oil = Fragrance oil weight
So for example, if you’re using 10oz of wax, and need 10% fragrance oil:
Stick your wick in your jar
Taking your wick sticker, place one side on the bottom of your wick. From there, place your wick into the jar, centering as best you can. The wick sticker will ensure that the wick doesn’t move around and that your candle will burn evenly. Finish prepping the jar by setting up your wick centering tool on top to make sure your wick is centered from bottom to top.
4. Begin melting!
At this point, all materials should be prepped appropriately. In a saucepan, heat up 1-2” of water until simmering, and place your pouring pitcher in the water to start melting the wax. As you won’t be melting a huge amount of wax, stay close to the pouring pitcher as you don’t want to overheat the wax.
Your wax type will have instructions on what temperatures you’ll need to heat your wax to. For example, if you’re using soy wax, typically you’ll need to heat it to 185º F, but we recommend following the wax instructions from here.
Monitor the temperature as the wax melts, and take the pouring pitcher out of the simmering water once that temperature has been reached. Pour in your fragrance oil, and stir for 1-2 minutes, making sure all fragrance oil has blended with the wax.
5. Rest the wax until the optimal pouring temperature
You will need to let your wax cool slowly until it’s reached its optimal pouring temperature (soy wax often being around 135º F). This helps your candle cure properly, and avoid lumpy tops or sinkholes. Once your wax has reached this temperature, carefully pour it into your prepped candle jar, and let set. Voila! You’ve just refilled your own candle.
6. Cure your candle
Different wax types recommend curing for different amounts of time. Why does curing matter? Because this gives your wax and fragrance oil enough time to meld together, improving the scent of your candle when you burn it. It's typically recommended to wait 1-2 weeks for soy wax to fully cure before burning.
7. Watch how your candle burns
Once you've refilled your candle, watch how it burns! This may be the most crucial step of all, as it can save you from an underperforming, or even hazardous, candle. For example, if your wax melts too quickly, your wick may be too large. This could cause your candle to overheat, either burning you if you touch it or even possibly cracking or bursting. Especially with a glass jar, make sure your candle never gets too hot to the touch, and if does, blow it out and try again.
There are a lot of variables to play around with. If the wax is melting too quickly, size down your wick. If it's tunneling too much, size up. There is an abundance of candle-making resources online that can help you identify your problem and the eright way to solve it, so the next time you can get it right!
Refilling my own candles seems like a lot of work—what are my alternatives?
Years ago, we went through this exact same process. Empty candle jars started stacking up, so we learned how to refill those jars with new candles—but this took a pretty big learning curve. Not only did we have to buy all the tools needed, but we ended up with more wax than was required. Though fun, this ended up being more costly and labor-intensive, which is why we created ReCandle Co.!
ReCandle Co. has taken all of the work out of refilling candles. Instead of purchasing all of the raw materials and tools, wondering if you have the right wick or wax type, we’ve created your refillable candle ready to go.
With our refillable candle Starter Kit, you’ll start by receiving a reusable candle jar, and one candle refill. Each month, after you’ve burned your candle down, you’ll receive a new candle refill—it’s as easy as that. Not only are you helping the planet, but you’re saving time and supporting a small, eco-friendly business. It really doesn’t get better than that.