Can you reuse glass candle containers?

[ForHisGlory]

A lady that uses the mason and jelly jars for her candle company told me that she never reuses the jars because they could crack or break.

I am wondering how this type of glass could do that when heated so hot to even make them.

Is it dangerous to reuse your candle containers? I'm using salsa jars for my candles.

My daughter is going to burn my candles in her store as advertising and I was thinking of just using the old ones again so I won't waste new jars. Now, I don't know what I should do.

[Mineralesque]

I reuse my jars for testing. I haven't had any problems with this at all.

HTH

[ForHisGlory]

I reuse my jars for testing. I haven't had any problems with this at all.

HTH

Thanks! I wonder if it would be safe to clean them, refill and re-sell them?

[Vicky_CO]

It all about heat stress. When you heat and then cool over and over it puts stress on any material and makes it more brittle. So any minor flaws in the material become a major flaw the more you heat and cool it. With glass a flaw can come from something as simple as them being bumped.

Have you ever had a drinking glass all the sudden break for no apparent reason or a glass pie pan you find it one day in the dishwasher and it is broke. You give a tons of excuse why it broke "oh it must have banged against something" but the truth is is broke do to stress.

Now as long as you are not selling them I don't see any harm in reusing yourself, I do it all the time but I am also fully aware of the dangers.

[Luci]

I use some of them over and over for testing. Some of the masons I use for testing have been used many times for many years when I was canning more. I haven't had any breakage, but I would still not want to sell anything in them.

[ForHisGlory]

It all about heat stress. When you heat and then cool over and over it puts stress on any material and makes it more brittle. So any minor flaws in the material become a major flaw the more you heat and cool it. With glass a flaw can come from something as simple as them being bumped.

Have you ever had a drinking glass all the sudden break for no apparent reason or a glass pie pan you find it one day in the dishwasher and it is broke. You give a tons of excuse why it broke "oh it must have banged against something" but the truth is is broke do to stress.

Now as long as you are not selling them I don't see any harm in reusing yourself, I do it all the time but I am also fully aware of the dangers.

Excellent! Thanks!

[debscent]

I personally would not sell a used candle container. It's fine for testing, or personal use, but I wouldn't sell them.

[fredron]

I'm not sure whose jars you're using, but we've been refilling jars for customers for years to save them the cost of the jar. I would not reuse a jar to sell it to another customer, but my customers love saving that $2.00/candle. I do not clean them out & wash them though. I tell my customers in order to save the money they clean them out. If I have to do it, they pay full price.

Our jars are heavy duty jars-we call them bulletproof. They are not your run of the mill mason jars.

Fredron

[ForHisGlory]

I'm not sure whose jars you're using, but we've been refilling jars for customers for years to save them the cost of the jar. I would not reuse a jar to sell it to another customer, but my customers love saving that $2.00/candle. I do not clean them out & wash them though. I tell my customers in order to save the money they clean them out. If I have to do it, they pay full price.

Our jars are heavy duty jars-we call them bulletproof. They are not your run of the mill mason jars.

Fredron

Excellent. I don't use bulletproof, I am sure, but if I did, this is a great idea! Repeat customers!!!!

I want to use the salsa jars instead of Mason. I haven't run across anything that says "bulletproof" for the salsa. But thanks for the idea!

[darci]

I use the square masons and I offer my customer a 'refill' discount. they give me their old jar, and I give them a new candle/new jar. I re-use the old jar, but not in a candle. I instead put a smelly jelly in it. saves us both money, and I don't have to worry about heat stress on my jar.

[NewOrleansLady]

I also refill customer provided glassware...I've got a paper I give out stating I'm not responsible for broken glass during filling or after, etc and I fill them as they are given to me...I don't clean anything. I reuse for my own testing but wouldn't sell those.

[ForHisGlory]

I also refill customer provided glassware...I've got a paper I give out stating I'm not responsible for broken glass during filling or after, etc and I fill them as they are given to me...I don't clean anything. I reuse for my own testing but wouldn't sell those.

Excellent idea! Thanks for sharing! How do you price something like that?

[Candlebuddy]

I'll jump in here too ... I only use to re-test. All my customers get new jars.

[Vicky_CO]

I also refill customer provided glassware...I've got a paper I give out stating I'm not responsible for broken glass during filling or after, etc and I fill them as they are given to me...I don't clean anything. I reuse for my own testing but wouldn't sell those.

You can have them sign what ever you want but it doesn't limit your liability if something happens. If something where to happen such as someones house burning down because of your candle. All a lawyer has to do is bring in a few experts that says you where doing an unsafe practice and that piece of paper becomes worthless.

It all comes down to the amount of risk you are willing to assume. It is a risk that personally I refuse to assume also my insurance company says I can't. They will not cover me if I refill breakable containers.

[candlebug]

I'll jump in here too ... I only use to re-test. All my customers get new jars.

Same here as Candlebuddy. I used the 8 oz wide mouth mason jars before my current jar and I still use them just to scent test fragrance samples. These jars have been used over and over again and I have found that the bottom of the jar has over time become raised and rounded (like a bubble forming) due to the heat and use. This alone tells me not to do refills for the stress the glass takes. Taking glasses to refill, you don't know how many times this container has been refilled either by you or someone else.

Why take a chance on the stress breaking the jar and a customer coming back on you to for damages to their property. Not worth it in IMO. By telling them that they are responsible it the glass breaks when you do refills won't hold up incourt.