Expert: Neecie - 10/25/2006

Question
I use many of the scented candles that come in jars with lids. I have been saving all of the used ones to use as candy jars for X-mas presents. What is the easiest/quickest way to remove the wax residue in the jars and also the areas that are black where the flame touched the glass? I would like to get them as clean as possible!
Thanks!

Answer
Hello,
If there is any wax left in the jars, the easiest way to get it out is to melt it out. Warm some water and put the jars into the warm water to soften the wax. Whatever you do, do not pour any wax down the drain or waste disposal. Just pour the melted wax in the garbage. If the wax is just soft and not liquid, take some paper towels and wipe out the wax. Continuing wiping until all the waxy substance is gone. Wax is greasy, much like any oil. Once you have all the wax wiped out, you can wash them by hand with a good degreaser dish soap, such as Dawn. Sticking them in the dishwasher can be done as well. Just make sure all the wax is completely out of the jars. It might take a little elbow grease to get the black off of the jars. It can be stubborn sometimes. If it doesn't come off with your initial cleaning, try using a soft scrub cleanser and or a scrub pad. Hope that helps you.