If you love candles, you probably have a stash of old candle jars lying around. They’re too pretty to throw away, but cleaning them out? That can feel messy and frustrating.
The good news: there are simple solutions. We’ve rounded up the 3 best ways to clean old candle jars so you can reuse them with ease—and even refill them with a Foton Pearled Candle (aka candle pearls, sometimes referred to as candle sand or a sand candle) to give them a second life.
1. The Freezer Method ❄️
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Place your jar in the freezer for at least an hour.
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Remove, turn it upside down, and tap gently—most wax will pop right out.
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Wipe clean with a paper towel, then wash with soap and water.
This works best with harder waxes, though soft soy wax may need another method.
2. The Lava Lamp Method 🌋
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Pour hot water into your candle jar.
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Watch the leftover wax melt, float up, and cool into a disc you can lift out.
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Repeat if needed, then wipe and wash.
It’s oddly satisfying to watch—and very effective.
3. The Hot Bath Method ♨️
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Place your candle jar inside a bowl of hot water.
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When the edges turn clear, the wax is ready to release.
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Use a chopstick to lift it out, then wipe and wasPerfect for stubborn wax that doesn’t budge with freezing or hot water alone.
Smarter Than Scraping Wax Forever
Once your jars are clean, you can recycle them—or better yet, refill them. That’s why we created Foton Pearled Candles: instead of scraping out waxy residue again and again, just pour in fresh candle pearls and light a new wick. It’s the easiest, most sustainable way to keep using the jars you love.
Bottom line: The best way to clean old candle jars is whichever method gets them ready for reuse—because reusing beats tossing every time. And with Foton Pearled Candles, your jars can stay in rotation for years to come.
👉 Ready to give your jars new life? Try a Foton Pearled Candle today.
