Sometimes your home becomes a little musty or smells funny. May it be due to some unusual or exotic dishes you have been cooking lately or maybe because you failed to do your regular cleaning routine or simply because of some smell coming from the outside, regardless of the reason you will have to get rid of the smell. Ordinarily, people would reach towards their can of disinfectant and spray it all over their home. Some, however, would resort to a more elegant way: scented candles. Yes, lighting up one or a couple of scented candles can be quite effective in eliminating nasty odors and can be quite therapeutic as well. If in case you find yourself looking for candles, you can make one on your own. Making homemade scented candles is actually very easy. All you need are the proper materials and a clear guide and you’re on your way.
In fact making scented candles can be accomplished from some of the materials you find in your kitchen. But to be sure of the quality of your candles, it would be best to buy materials from the store. Basically, what you will need are wax, wick, essential oils for the scent and coloring materials. For the equipment, all you will need are the kitchen stove, a meat or candy thermometer, candle molds and double boilers.
The procedure itself is very simple and easy. You start off by placing the wax inside a small pot. Place that small pot in a larger pot with water. The idea is to let the heated water melt the wax. Placing the wax directly over the fire might not be a good idea since the wax burns easily. Use a wooden spoon to mix the wax. Use the thermometer and allow the wax to heat up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t allow the wax to overheat so it is advisable to set the stove at a low heat.
You can add your chosen essential oil and the coloring at this point. Stir the wax gently. Ideally, using one ounce of essential oil per pound of wax is more than enough. If you don’t know an ounce is, you can use a teaspoon. Half a teaspoon of scent is fine. The problem of adding too much scent is that the candle may not burn properly.
After you mixed the melted wax, scent and coloring thoroughly, you can pour the mixture into your candle molds. Make sure that you set the molds on a flat surface so the wax is evenly distributed. Of course, you can intentionally use slanted surfaces to produce some unique looking shapes. That’s your call. When you pour the hot wax, the wick should be in the right place as well. You should secure the wick properly to keep it in the middle of the candle. Pour the wax slowly. You may need to tap the mold lightly as you pour the hot was to remove any bubbles. If the candle sinks, add more wax to the mold.
Place the mold in a bowl of cool water. Use something to weigh the candle down since candles naturally float. Once the candle has been cooled, you can take it out of the water and remove it from the mold.
And now you’re done. You can now enjoy the benefits of your scented candles. Making homemade scented candles are easy and worthwhile. And if you tire of the scent, you probably have a lot of materials left to make another candle with a different scent. Knock yourself out.
