Trying to help,(NDC) near death candles

[oops99]

My citronella candles always burn into a deep hole in the middle, and I wind up throwing out about 50-70 percent of the candle (I'm not a candle maker, just a civilian looking for advice).

Is there a way to melt the wax in the container back to a flat surface, and put in a new wick? I was thinking about heating up a peice of staightened out coat hanger with a torch to make the hole for the wick, but don't know what to do about melting the wax.

I don't want to sound like a cheapskate, but I hate throwing out these things so often. I want to melt the wax "IN" the container, smooth it flat like a new candle, then heat a metal rod, insert it into the wax, then put in a new wick. It seems pretty straight forward, but I want some expert advice.(Thats You's Guys):whistle:

Thanks in advance for any help.

oops99

PS. This a really cool site

[suzanneg]

I would use a heat gun or hair dryer to heat the wax in the container then when the wax is melted add your wick!!!! HTH

[debscent]

I think the easiest way would be to put the candle on a candle warmer (found at craft stores, etc.) until it is fully melted. Pour into a pyrex measuring cup, remove the wick (use pliers if you have to) insert a new wick into the container using high temperature hot glue, and then repour the melted wax back into your container. I'm not sure if you just melt your existing candle you will be able to pull that wick out (depending on how well the wick base is secured) and insert a new one.

[Meridith]

You can also melt the candle in the oven, on a cookie sheet with the oven on warm. Once meltled, pour into another container, clean the container out that is to be rewicked, pour the melted wax back into the rewicked container. If you were to just pull the wick out, poke another hole and stick a wick in, the wick won't be secured and will end up floating or falling over nor will it burn all the way down.

[GirlWithTheCurl]

As a "civilian" without knowledge of wick applications, no ready supply on hand, and unaware of the precautions you should take in heating wax and inhaling citronella fumes, my suggestion is to trash whatever you are thinking of salvaging.

Next time you lightup a new one, allow it to burn long enough until the surface completely liquifies, then extinguish. That is the secret (providing the correct wick was used) to preventing a candle from tunneling.

[Stella1952]

Usually a candle which tunnels badly never develops a full melt pool because: it was not burned long enough to do so or it is not wicked properly. You are so right about lighting and extinguishing before the full melt pool develops. Many folks light a candle for 15 minutes or an hour, extinguish and continue with short burns... tunneling results.

The fumes from melting a citronella candle should be no more harmful to one as burning the candle would be.

Good luck with your "recycling."

[GirlWithTheCurl]

Usually a candle which tunnels badly never develops a full melt pool because: it was not burned long enough to do so or it is not wicked properly. You are so right about lighting and extinguishing before the full melt pool develops. Many folks light a candle for 15 minutes or an hour, extinguish and continue with short burns... tunneling results.

The fumes from melting a citronella candle should be no more harmful to one as burning the candle would be.

Good luck with your "recycling."

Citronella candles are strictly for outside use. Close contact with the fumes will cause respiratory distress. Take precautions when formulating; limit your exposure and provide adequate ventilation.

[BruceCarvesWax]

If the candle is of so low a quality that it will not even burn right your wasting your money buying it and your time by trying to fix it. If the burn is that bad I'm sure your not getting what you should as far as insect repellent goes. Look around at some of the senior members sites and try a good candle. Most citronella candles made by the mass producers are cheap and not effective.

Bruce

[Stella1952]

I wanted to check and see if I was misinformed about the perils of citronella, so I searched the forums and found an old thread with some hotly contested opinions. What ended the discussion for me were the links that Top provided in that thread (Thanks, Top ):

http://www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/biopesticides/ingredients/factsheets/factsheet_021901.htm

http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/3105fact.pdf

From the last site (note that these links are from the EPA's site):

Human Health Assessment

Toxicity

In studies using laboratory animals, oil of citronella generally has been shown to be of low acute toxicity.

The acute oral toxicity for oil of citronella derived from "Ceylon type" (LD > 5000 mg/kg) places it in Toxicity Category IV, while the acute oral toxicity for oil of citronella derived from "Java type" (LD > 4380 mg/kg) is in Toxicity Category III.

The dermal toxicity for oil of citronella (LD > 2000mg/kg -- both "Ceylon type" and "Java type") is in Toxicity Category III.

Acute inhalation (LC > 5000mg/kg -- "Ceylon type" and LC > 3.1 mg/l -- "Java type") is in Toxicity Category IV.

Eye irritation ("Ceylon type" - irritation cleared in 72

hrs. and "Java type" - irritation cleared within 7 days or less) is in Toxicity Category III.

Dermal irritation is in Toxicity Category III (Refer to Section III for additional information). Oil of citronella derived from "Ceylon type" oil is a weak dermal sensitizer while citronella oil derived from "Java type" is a non-sensitizer.

(NOTE: For acute oral, dietary, mammalian/avian/aquatic toxicity:

Category I = very highly or highly toxic

Category II = moderately toxic

Category III = slightly toxic

Category IV = practically non-toxic)

I do think that Bruce makes a good point about how cheaply some candles are manufactured and it being a waste of time/energy to attempt to renew those kind.

The information above refers to Citronella Essential Oils. Because it's hard to find information on what ingredients are in Citronella Fragrance Oils (or any other FO for that matter), the FO may or may not be as benign as the above information would indicate. But I think it is reasonable to assume that if the candle is wicked so poorly as stated, chances are they are not using very high quality or quantity of FO or EO in those candles.

[TxSioux]

I agree w/ Bruce, & since you don't have the supplies on hand to 'fix' your left over wax, I would guess all the tips we would suggest may be more time consuming & frustrating than you think. I would suggest you tell us where you're located & you spend your money buying a quality candle (that will burn top to bottom) from someone in your area. If you're determined to remelt your wax, you may want to at least buy the wicks made especially for outdoor candles from a candlemaker who can walk you through the process. My personal opinion is a regular candle wick from Hobby Lobby will not give you the smoking needed for this type of candle. Also, some of the commercial citronella containers have plastic attachments that will melt when you put the container in the oven to melt the wax down. If you're in Tx contact me & I'll help you.

Susan.

[Sharon in KY]

Don't a lot of us candle makers make citronella candles? Why don't you just twist several wicks together tight to make a larger one hence larger flame. Then scrap out the wax and put in a coffee can, melt that on a Candle warmer or something outside. Just get it hot enough to barely melt, and use pot holder so you don't burn yourself. When I was a non candle maker I always gathered used candle wax, remelted and made new ones. So I know what you want. Since they say don't breath inside, just do everything outside, that should work.