TikToker Auddyknox's (@auddyknox) video shows how you can easily repurpose those candle jars once the wax has gone down.
The scoop
If you have a candle that won't burn or is at the end of its wax, don't throw it out. Pour hot water into it and let it sit overnight. The hot water will loosen up the wax and cause it to float to the top — however, you may have to repeat the process if the wax is dense. The next day, remove the floating wax and clean out the inside of your candle jar.
@auddyknox Instead of tossing old candles, try this for your plants 🌿 #candles #garden #planttips #creatorsearchinsights #leca #diycraft ♬ Peace Piece - Green-House
Add LECA (lightweight expanded clay aggregate) balls or a draining pot and you have a new home for a small plant.
How it's helping
If you enjoy indulging your indoor green thumb, you need a pot for each plant. After glass candle jars have served their initial purpose, they make a solid container for other things. While glass is recyclable, it doesn't always get reused.
Engineer David Lue studied the issues with glass recycling in the United States. He told Chemical & Engineering News, "The U.S. glass-recycling shortfall comes down to the interplay between the quality and availability of cullet and the economics of making glass. … And … the recycling rate discrepancies between the U.S. and other countries result mainly from differences in government policy and consumer education and habits."
While glass recycling has its issues, throwing the material in the trash risks adding an item to the environment that can take 1 million years to break down.
Before finding recycling bins that take used glass jars, consider them for cookie jars. And the fun doesn't stop with candle containers. Other people have reused pasta sauce jars for flower vases, drinkware for coffee brews, and dried food storage in place of Mason jars or Tupperware.
Glass has an endless lifecycle without losing its structure, so there are countless ways to repurpose it in your home.
If you don't have room for more glass containers, consider participating in "buy nothing" groups that enable you to give away and exchange items with others for free. Getting to know your recycling options, upcycling products at home, or using organizations like ThredUp all help you do your part for a cleaner and cooler planet.
What everyone's saying
"I had 10 that I removed the wax and spray painted with textured paint. They look so good!"
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
|
Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Giving me money back 💰 Another commenter exclaimed, "I love this idea. I never knew how to get the leftover wax out easily…I'm going to try this."
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
