Jump to content

Baking Soda in Candle Wax


Recommended Posts

I have recently seen a video of someone making cupcake type candles using baking soda.  I read a little on it and below is what I found out.  Has anyone tried baking soda in candles before?  It looks like it would be a great benefit, has anyone tried this before?  If so, what wax did you use it in, how much did you add and what were your results?  I am going to try it, but am looking for a starting place and what wax might work the best.  Thank you for any input.

 

1. Improved Scent Throw: Baking soda has the ability to absorb odors, making it an excellent addition to scented candles. By adding a small amount of baking soda to your candle wax, you can help neutralize any unwanted smells and enhance the fragrance of your candle. This is especially useful if you're using essential oils or other strong scents in your candles.

2. Longer Burn Time: Baking soda can help slow down the burning process of your candles, resulting in a longer burn time. When mixed with the wax, baking soda acts as a heat sink, absorbing and dispersing the heat more evenly. This can help your candles burn more slowly and last longer, allowing you to enjoy their warm glow for extended periods.

3. Reduced Soot: Soot is a common problem with candles, especially those made from paraffin wax. When burned, paraffin wax can release black soot particles into the air, which can be harmful to your health and leave unsightly residue on your walls and furniture. By adding baking soda to your candle wax, you can help minimize soot production and create cleaner-burning candles.

4. Enhanced Color: Baking soda can also help improve the color of your homemade candles. When added to the wax, baking soda acts as a whitening agent, making the wax appear brighter and more vibrant. This is particularly beneficial if you're using dyes or pigments to create colored candles, as it can help intensify the hues and create a more visually appealing finished product.

5. Eco-Friendly Option: Baking soda is a natural and environmentally friendly ingredient, making it a great choice for eco-conscious candle makers. Unlike some other additives, baking soda is non-toxic and safe to use in candles. It's also readily available and affordable, making it a convenient option for those who want to create sustainable candles at home.

  • Shocked 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That’s a new one to me.  I’ve been at this for several decades and have never read of anything like this in any patent or heard of any wax manufacturer that would add it to a blend.
 

hot throw is a factor of balancing your wick with the fragrance and wax blend in a given container. We work with  countless variables in each component. 
 

At first thought,  I would not think a sodium derivative additive would burn well at all in candle fuel.  How would it dissolve in any wax or oil based fuel? Maybe, possibly it could dissolve somewhat in some gel type waxes, but even then I’m not sure it could given sodium bicarbonate is water soluble due to it’s polarity. Wax is pretty much non polar so it would be nearly impossible to dissociate the molecules to dissolve. Wouldn’t you just end up with random grains of bicarbonate floating in the wax, likely  precipitating to the bottom of the candle as the hot wax cools? The next thought is that  baking soda is something recommended to extinguish  fires 🧐
 

I have used wicks treated with sodium (cd, CDN for example), but not sodium bicarbonate in any fuel itself.  The sodium wick treatment involves a dip in liquid form (dissolved in water), and the cotton wicks dried before packaging to consumers.  
 

if you’re an adventurous type, give it a whirl and let us know what you see in your experiments. I’d start with the tiniest mount, like 0.25% or even less. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Baking soda for wood burning stoves can clean the glass and the stove. I always use it to clean the glass, it’s pretty amazing.

I also use it at the end of burn and add a tablespoon to embers at end of burn.

If you struggle with clean glass on your woodstove you will be amazing with the cleaning power of baking soda.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...