Grungedoll

Thank you @grama and @barbaranj And @bfroberts I'd already seen the black lids on both of those sites as I get my supplies from them, I just wasn't totally sure if they'd be the right size for those jars.

In need of black lids to fit these jars, any idea where I could find them? Thanks in advance! https://www.walmart.com/ip/Anchor-Hocking-Half-Pint-Glass-Canning-Jar-Set-12pk/43184792

Well that’s awesome... thank you for trying to help! I’m going to keep on looking.

Thank you for the ideas! I’m looking into it. I’ve been searching small places for rent and my fiancée and I have been asking around to see if anyone we know has garage space so hopefully something works out... no word yet though. I’ve been wanting to pour elsewhere for awhile now anyway. Do you think they’d allow a person to make candles in a storage unit...? Last I knew they didn’t have electricity in those, but I could be wrong! I’ve only ever shared one many years ago. What do you use for a shop?

So, you’re saying that the compounds of the FOs stay in the area despite good ventilation? I’m a bit confused. I’ve been told in the past that as long as I have everything well ventilated then I’d be fine, not to mention my fiancées well being which I’ve asked about as well being around the area afterwards. I leave fans and windows open for hours after pouring. I also don’t plan on making hundreds at a time probably even when I do start selling. I’ll only be making small batches. It’s very discouraging to me to think about all this being an even bigger issue when I genuinely don’t have anywhere else to go. I’ve heard of plenty of other people who produce in their kitchens/living rooms... if it was such an issue to that degree I would figure they wouldn’t continue to do so? We have a spare bedroom that we’ve discussed turning part of it into an area I can make my candles but now I don’t even know if I should do that. I suppose I will have to look over my renters agreement as well.

At the moment I’m not selling them yet as I’m still doing tons of testing to see which wax, wick, FO combos I’m looking to stick with, testing burns, etc. So Ive only really been pouring at most maybe two pounds at a time (enough for two different scents at 6-7% in three 8 ounce canning jars each) but it can still get pretty strong in here since everything’s connected... (there’s only doors to the bedrooms and bathroom) and I’m doing it a few times a week. I am a bit concerned when I do start pouring more too since I do want to start selling them once I get everything where I want it and legal things in order.

@Candybee @Sarah S thank you both for being so helpful as always!

Honestly, I’m just trying to get everyone’s opinion on how long I should really consider wearing my respirator as I’m confined to mixing and pouring all of my candles all in one little area which happens to be the majority of my apartment (my open kitchen and living room)? So my apologies that I keep repeating my question to each of you. I’m really not meaning to come off annoying or anything, it’s just the fumes here from FOs just seem to stay around and travel around the whole apartment for quite sometime even with all the windows and fans open and going and can really begin to annoy me... so I really am very thankful to anyone who gives me any answers. I know I’ve been posting a lot but I really do appreciate this board and the input that you receive here. Thank you!

I do remember you saying that. Not to get annoying here so I’m very sorry for asking but how long after mixing the FO with the wax would you recommend still wearing mine while making them in my little open apartment? I don’t have anywhere else to make them and the oils basically travel through the whole place.

As I’d told moonshine, sadly I don’t have anywhere else to make my candles besides right in our open kitchen/living room of my apartment... so I don’t have anyway of really “leaving” the area... I really wish I had a garage or something. How long would you wear it in my situation?

How long after you get everything mixed do you continue to wear your respirator?

Yep! It’s very important to invest in a good respirator when dealing with fragrance oils since they are in fact chemicals. I was recommended one when I’d first started posting here and I started making candles. I found mine at Home Depot for a decent price. The vapors from mixing are different than when the FOs have been thoroughly blended with the wax. If you do some searches on here there’s plenty of topics and tons of info about it that maybe better at explaining it. Always wear a respirator and always make your candles in a well ventilated area! I also wear latex gloves to protect my hands.

Anyone else have more input.....?

I’ve tried to leave it on the whole process and it gets a bit overwhelming so I’ve just been wearing it during the time I’m adding the FO as I’ve been suggested before. However I’m making them in my kitchen right now in my apartment which is open into my living room where they set... so I can’t really “leave the room” sadly. 😕 I’ve been trying to gage exactly when I should be taking it off.... when I can assume most of people the fumes have left. I always have fans going and windows open.... but still.

Just curious, how long do you all wear your respirator (if you wear one) while mixing and pouring your candles?