How to make candles with your own hands

How to make paraffin candles with your own hands – a topic that will definitely be useful in actual conditions. Paraffin candles in Ukraine now are real helpers that can really help to survive.

Several types of candles can be made. We want to share recipes for making ordinary candles from paraffin and stearin, as well as trench candles, which have their own useful advantages in extreme conditions.

How to make candles at home from paraffin and stearin.

To make paraffin and stearin candles, we will need the following materials:

1. Saucepan or kettle for melting wax
2. Paraffin
3. Stearin (gives the candle plasticity)
4. Silicone grease
5. Wick
6. Mould

Measure paraffin and stearin in the proportion of 4:1. Melt all the ingredients in a water bath. Grease the mould with silicone grease for better separation of the finished candle from the surface of the mould. Put a wick on the bottom of the mould. In the absence of a ready-made wick, it can also be made of dense cotton thread, jute rope, soaked in paraffin and dried for 24 hours. After preparing the wick, pour the mould with a melted mixture of paraffin and stearin. Wait for 1 hour until the composition hardens and remove from the mould. That’s all, our paraffin candle made at home is ready.

What is a trench candle? How to make trench candles with your own hands.

Trench candles are indispensable items for survival in cold and difficult conditions. These candles can be used to keep warm, dry clothes, heat or even cook food, heat water, and light up a room.

Such a candle, depending on the size can burn from 3 to 7-8 hours. How to make trench candles with your own hands? To make a trench candle we will need:

1. 1. Paraffin or any leftover candles
   2. Saucepan or kettle to melt the paraffin wax
   3. A tin can (ideally the size of a pea or sweetcorn tin)
   4. Corrugated cardboard
   5. Ruler
   6. Knife

Instructions for making trench candles.

Take a tin can and remove the paper label. We can also cut the sharp edge with a hammer for safety reasons. Then put paraffin or finely chopped remnants of candles to warm on a water bath until completely dissolved. At this time, prepare strips of corrugated cardboard, the height of which is 3-4 mm less than the height of the tin can. Cut them across the corrugation. Then tightly twist the cardboard strips according to the volume of the tin can and insert them inside. We also make a bendy strip with a height higher than the height of the cardboard snail. You can insert several such strips.

When the paraffin is melted, pour it into the tin сan with cardboard. You can fill the jar 2-3 times, so the trench candle will burn longer.

When using any candles, remember about fire safety:

1. 1. 1. Do not leave paraffin candles near flammable objects.
      2. Use special fixings when installing candles or candle holders, fix the candle strictly vertically.
      3. Do not hold burning candles in your hands.
      4. If you light several candles at once, try to place them 10cm apart to avoid deformation.
      5. When placing candles, avoid places near doors and windows to avoid draughts.
      6. Do not leave candles unattended, especially indoors where there are children or animals.