Recycling Yankee Candles

Yankee Candles are something I have been obsessed with for years now. I don't often use the word 'obsessed' as it's quite extreme but it's a fair assessment in this case. I have them in my kitchen, my bathroom and about 12 in my lounge. Not including the 14 in the cupboard in the event of a Yankee Candle based apocalypse which will result in me being candle-rich when that's all that's left to barter with. Because, y'know, there can never be too much ridiculous hypothetical forward planning.

The thing that annoys me about them though, is that despite their fairly hefty price tag, there's always half an inch of wax at the bottom that you just can't burn. Once the wick is done, it's done and you're left with a significant quantity of waxy wastage which just seems a crying shame to throw away.

In this instance, I've come up with a thrifty solution. Recycling! We can recycle almost anything in the modern age, why not Yankee Candles?!

All you need is a spent candle, a clean, empty jam jar, a heat proof pan and a new wick (you can buy them inexpensively from Hobbycraft).

• 1. Fill the pan halfway with water and bring to the boil. 
• 2. Pop the candle in the middle, minus the lid.
• 3. Wait until the wax has melted then use a fork to remove the spent wick at the bottom.
• 4. Use a dab of melted wax to fix the new wick to the bottom of the empty jam jar.
• 5. Using oven mitts, pour the melted wax from the Yankee Candle into the new jam jar.
• 6. Wait until it's completely set and repeat.

You'll also need something to anchor the wick to the top, whilst you're building up your layers. I used two plastic lolly sticks taped together, with the wick in the middle, so that the sticks rest on the rim of the jam jar. It's also a good idea to pick complementary scents to go next to one another as they merge slightly when they're burnt.

I've done two now and they've both turned out really well. It's a nice way of saving some money, making the most of your candles and trying your hand at something crafty to boot :)

xxx