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You are here: Home / Naturally Frugal Living / How to Make Citronella Candles

How to Make Citronella Candles

July 17, 2018 by Jody 2 Comments

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how to make a citronella candle by upcycling old containers

Use this tutorial for how to make citronella candles to make mosquito repellent candles.

How to make citronella candles - recipe, tutorial and tips

Citronella candles have long been used to ward off pesky mosquitoes. There is no reason why they cant be pretty as well as effective.  Making them yourself means that you can make them stronger (store bought ones never seem strong enough for me) and in any container you want to accent your porch, patio, or poolside.  Pick up a few items from your local craft store, gather some containers from around the house and make a bunch of bug candles to scatter around your yard or another outdoor entertaining area.

I love to use soy chips to make candles and was able to easily find soy chips at my local craft store, as well as wicks. I prefer soy candles as they are made from a natural resource and use fewer additives (check the packaging), and are cleaner burning than paraffin, last longer, and hold scent better.

My DIY citronella candles recipe below uses 3 drops of citronella essential oil per cup of soy wax chips. You can alter the amount of citronella oil you add to achieve the desired strength for your outdoor citronella candles.

How to Make Citronella Candles

Supplies:

  • 6 cups soy wax chips
  • 18 drops citronella essential oil
  • candle wicks
  • pan
  • mason jars, old teacups, or other empty containers

 

Items needed to make citronella candles

Directions:

Place soy wax chips in a small pan over medium heat, stir continuously until melted with a wooden spoon.

Easy DIY citronella candle tutorial

Place containers on a  cookie sheet and place in an oven preheated to 350 for 5 minutes, remove from oven. Dip metal disk on wick into melted wax, immediately place on bottom of the desired container to fix it in place.

Easy DIY citronella candle recipe and tutorial

Stir essential oil into melted wax well, pour wax into pre-warmed containers. Prop wick up in the center with pencils or sticks.  Allow the candle to sit for several hours until set.

Easy DIY citronella candles

Trim wick to 1/2″ tall.

To make your own candles use clean, empty vegetable cans, mason jars,  tea cups, or old cleaned out candle jars.

* Tip- To remove old wax from a candle jar, place it in the freezer until the wax is brittle, it will pop right off the glass.

More Candle Tutorials

How to Make a Sugar Bowl Candle

DIY Coffee Scented Candles

DIY Scented Cookie Cutter Candles

More Ways to Repel Pests

How to Make Insect Repellent

Natural and Homemade Mosquito Repellents

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Comments

  1. Anke ter Doest says

    April 14, 2015 at 3:31 am

    Hi Jody,

    I love your citronella candles instructions and I am keen to try it out myself. How many drops of citronella oil would you recommend in 6 cups of soy chips?

    Thanks, Anke

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      July 17, 2018 at 2:14 pm

      Use approximately 3 drops per cup, so 18 drops for this batch.

      Reply

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Prep-Ahead Breakfasts and Lunches by Alea Milham

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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