Brooke Martin
Breaking a candle can be frustrating, especially when you're excited to burn it. Luckily, there are ways to fix a broken candle and this article will outline the steps to do so. The first step is to gather your supplies, including a pot, plastic gloves, an oven mitt or towel, and tweezers. Then, carefully remove the broken pieces of glass from the candle wax using tweezers and napkins. If there are still large pieces of glass attached to the candle, you may need to remove them to get a full grip on the candle. Once the glass is removed, put on your gloves and take the candle out of the broken jar. At this point, you can either burn the candle as a pillar candle or transfer it to a new jar.
How to fix a broken candle
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Supplies | Pot, plastic gloves, oven mitt or towel, tweezers, napkins, strainer |
| First Step | Using tweezers, carefully remove broken pieces of glass from the candle wax. |
| Second Step | Wipe off the glass with napkins. |
| Third Step | Add water to the pot and heat it up. |
| Fourth Step | Once the water starts boiling, add the candle to the pot so the heat from the water can melt the bottom layer of the candle. |
| Alternative | If the glass is broken into too many pieces, melt the wax with the pieces of glass and filter it in a strainer. |
| Alternative | Burn the candle in a wax warmer. |
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What You'll Learn
Removing broken glass from candle wax
If your candle has broken into a few large pieces, it may be possible to save it. However, if it has shattered into many small pieces, it is probably not salvageable.
Freezing
Wrap the damaged candle in bubble wrap and place it in the freezer for an hour. Once the wax is frozen, take the candle outside and lightly tap the jar with a hammer. The glass should fall away cleanly, but you may need to remove small shards with a damp piece of kitchen paper.
Melting
Using tweezers, carefully remove any large pieces of broken glass from the candle wax. You can use napkins to wipe the glass pieces as you work. Once you've removed as much glass as possible, melt the wax. To do this, fill a pot with water and place it on the stove. Once the water is boiling, add the candle to the pot so that the bottom layer of wax melts. Remove the candle from the heat, being careful as the jar will be hot. You may need to remove more pieces of glass before taking the candle out of the jar.
Straining
If the wax has already melted with the pieces of glass, you can strain the wax to remove the glass. Use a cheap strainer to do this, but be aware that you won't be able to reuse the strainer afterward.
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Melting wax with a double broiler
To fix a broken candle, you can melt the wax with a double boiler. This is a safer method than melting the wax directly over a flame.
To make a DIY double boiler, you will need a fairly deep saucepan and a heavy, heat-safe glass bowl that fits inside the saucepan. The glass bowl should not be too low in the saucepan, as this will make it difficult to remove, nor too high, as it may then be unstable. It should also not fit too tightly, as this will prevent steam from escaping, which could be dangerous.
Fill the saucepan with water, and place the glass bowl on top. When the water boils, the steam will heat the glass bowl and melt the wax inside. Be careful when removing the bowl from the saucepan, and use a potholder to protect your hands. When pouring the melted wax, be aware that it may drip down the sides of the bowl.
There are a couple of different methods for creating a double boiler. In the first method, the water level in the saucepan should be such that it does not touch the bowl. The wax is heated by the steam rather than the water. In the second method, the water level can be 1-2 inches up the side of the bowl. Any higher than this, and the bowl may start to float, which is unsafe.
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Using a strainer to filter wax
If you have a broken candle with wax mixed with debris, you can melt the wax over a slow heat in a saucepan. Have your moulds and wicks ready. You can use a cheap strainer to capture the debris. Hold a mesh strainer over the moulds and pour the wax through the strainer directly into the moulds. Make sure to be careful not to burn yourself. You can also use paper tea bags to filter the wax, or melt the wax and pour it over dried flowers.
If you are trying to remove wax from a container, you can pour boiling water into the jar and let it cool. The wax will float to the top, and you can pick it out. You can also use coconut oil to remove wax from glass jars.
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Burning the candle without a jar
If your candle has broken and you want to burn it without a jar, you can follow these steps to safely remove the wax from the broken glass. Firstly, gather your supplies: a pot, a pair of plastic gloves, an oven mitt or towel, and some tweezers. These will protect your hands and help prevent cuts and burns. Using your tweezers, carefully remove the large pieces of broken glass from the candle wax. You can use napkins to wipe off the glass shards if that makes it easier. If the glass has shattered into many small pieces, it may not be possible to save the candle.
Once you've removed as much glass as possible, put on your gloves and carefully remove the candle from any remaining broken glass. Now you have a pillar candle that you can burn! If you prefer candles in a jar, you can transfer your candle to a new glass container. Alternatively, you can melt the wax using the double boiler method and use it in a wax warmer.
To use the double boiler method, add water to your pot and turn up the heat. Once the water starts boiling, place your candle in the pot so that the heat from the water can melt the wax. Be careful not to burn yourself, as the pot and wax will be hot. Once the wax is melted, you can carefully pour it into a wax warmer or a new jar, if you'd like.
Remember, always prioritize safety when working with broken glass and hot wax. Take your time, and don't be afraid to ask for help if needed.
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Returning the candle for a new one
Returning the candle and getting a new one is the easiest option if you've received a broken candle. For example, Surin Aromas states that if one of their candles is received in broken pieces, there's no need to try to fix it—simply return it and they will send a new one.
However, if you've broken a candle you purchased yourself, it may be worth trying to fix it first, especially if it's a candle you've already been burning and enjoying. If you're not too bothered about the jar, you could try removing the candle from the broken glass. Put on some plastic gloves to protect your hands, and carefully lift the candle out of the jar. You can then burn it as a pillar candle or transfer it to a new jar.
If you want to keep the jar, you'll need to carefully remove the broken glass pieces from the wax using tweezers and a butter knife. Be very careful not to cut yourself or get wax on your skin. You can melt the wax in a pot of boiling water (the double boiler method) to separate the wax from the glass, but this will only work if the glass is in a few large pieces rather than lots of small shards. Once the wax is melted, you can strain the glass out, but be aware that the strainer will not be reusable afterward.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a pot, a pair of plastic gloves, an oven mitt or a towel, and some tweezers.
Using tweezers, carefully remove the broken pieces of glass from the candle wax. You can also use some napkins to wipe off the glass.
Once you have removed the glass pieces, add water to your pot and turn up the heat. Use the double broiler method to melt your wax. Once the water starts boiling, add your candle to the pot so the heat from the water can melt the bottom layer of the candle.
