How to Dispose of Wax Melts?

Wax melts are a great way to fill your home with welcoming fragrances.

These melts rely on a candle-powered or electric warmer to melt the wax and activate the scent, making the wax disposal a little more complicated than a candle or incense.

However, there are easy ways to dispose of wax melts, even options that allow you to reuse your favorite scents!

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How to Dispose of Wax Melts

There are a few different ways to dispose of wax melts. Your method will depend on the heat of the wax at the time of disposal.

Whether or not you desire to reuse the wax will also determine the method of removal that you choose.

Disposing of Warm Liquid Wax

It is not recommended to dispose of your wax melts while they are still in their liquid state.

The wax is deceptively warm and can be unpleasant on your skin.

However, sometimes, you need to dispose of wax without waiting for it to solidify safely. You can still dispose of warm wax safely.

Cotton Balls

One safe way to dispose of warm wax is to drop cotton balls into the liquid wax.

The fluffy cotton balls will quickly absorb the wax for safe disposal.

Pour the Wax Into Another Container

Another method of wax disposal includes disposing of it in a separate container.

Carefully pour the wax from your warmer into a wide funnel or container. Make sure you have space to pour safely.

When pouring warm wax, choose a container that can withstand a higher temperature. A metal can, like a tuna can, is an excellent option for pouring your warm wax.

Disposing of warm wax usually does not give you the option to reuse the wax. But these methods can help out if you need to dispose of the wax immediately.

Disposing of Cooled Solid Wax

The safest and easiest way to dispose of wax melts is to wait for them to cool off and solidify.

It takes about two hours for your wax melts to harden after you take them away from heat.

Once you have given the wax melts time to cool down, you can easily lift them from their basin in the warmer.

Trace a butter knife around the perimeter and watch the wax lift.

It is best to find the sweet spot between the liquid state and completely solid wax. If the wax is too hard, it will fuse to the warmer’s basin.

This fusion can make it difficult to remove and most likely will not come out in one piece.

Wax Disposal Products

If you’re looking for another way to dispose of your wax, try the products below.

Wax Warmer Liners

Wax warmer liners are available to help with disposal, a preferred feature of many wax lovers.

These liners act in a similar way to using parchment paper when you are baking.

These liners easily lift and pop the solidified wax out of the warmer for easy disposal.

Some liners are reusable, but others are single-use. These liners are leakproof and easy to use.

Silicone Warmer Lids

Some warmers now come with a silicone lid to aid in the disposal of wax melts.

Traditionally, the basin where wax sits in the warmer has been made of stiff, fragile materials like ceramic.

Silicone easily and safely absorbs heat and is highly flexible. Simply turn off the warmer, and you can squeeze and bend the entire lid to lift off the cooled wax.

If you don’t care to reuse the wax melt, you can safely dispose of it in the trash. However, you can often store and reuse these melts to get your money’s worth.

Reusing Wax Melts

The average wax melt lasts about four to six hours before losing its fragrance. If your wax melts still have a scent, you can use the methods above to use again.

The cool wax methods are best for reusing wax melts. If the scent is gone, you can still get meaningful use out of the leftover wax.

The exact amount of wax always remains in the basin, as wax does not evaporate. You have a helpful waste product you can easily repurpose.

Popular ways to reuse wax melts include:

Making fire starters for camping or backyard bonfires — simply smear the leftover wax onto a pinecone and toss it into the fire
Lubricating metal tracks on drawers
Helping snow slide off of your shovel
Pouring new candles
Remelting and adding essential oils to make new wax melts

Improper Ways to Dispose of Wax Melts

Do not pour warm liquid wax directly into a lined trash can. The wax will melt through the plastic bag liner and make a mess.

Also, avoid pouring warm wax down any drain. Once the wax cools off, it will solidify and can cause clogs and other draining issues.

Are My Wax Melts Safe?

There is some debate about whether wax melts are safe to melt in homes. Some types of wax are made of harmful chemicals.

There is a chance these chemicals are being released into the air along with the scent.

However, there are non-toxic wax melts made of natural ingredients. Wax melts made from soy or beeswax are natural products and do not contain chemicals.

Because there is no wick like a candle, no soot or smoke is released into the air. Wicks can be made of lead, which is harmful to burn indoors.

Concerns also come up regarding wax melts causing fires. While not as common as the exposed flame of a candle, it can still happen.

It is advised to not leave a wax warmer on for more than eight continuous hours and never while it is unattended.

Why Choose Wax Melts?

While candles have been the most popular way to add scents to your home, wax melts have gained popularity in recent years.

Wax melts offer a customizable, convenient, and budget-friendly way to fragrance your home. Wax melts come in the forms of:

Concentrated cubes
Tarts
Beads
Wax shapes and figures

Most can be used by pouring them into a warming basin. Because they are in small doses, you can mix and match different scents. This is a feature you cannot find in candles.

With wax melts, you can easily control the strength of the fragrance. This control is achieved by simply adding more or fewer melts to the basin.

Wax melts can be conveniently disposed of, reused, and stored. This fragrance alternative is also much more affordable than candles when you calculate burn time per ounce.

The wax melt company Happy Wax claims their wax melts achieve 28 hours per ounce. Candles reach only five hours of burn time per ounce, according to Happy Wax.

Are Wax Melts Better Than Candles or Incense?

Wax melts are now included among other popular home fragrance options, like candles and incense.

Each option provides its pros and cons depending on what you want to achieve.

Incense

Incense is the best option for people who want a short burst of strong fragrance. Incense provides the opposite of a wax melt which provides a background fragrance that lasts for hours.

However, incense comes with something new to consider that the other options do not: falling ash.

Incense is a stick or cone that burns itself up completely, leaving only ash. Incense burners hold the incense so it can burn completely.

If you want a lingering scent for the whole day or a more subtle fragrance, incense is not for you.

People with curious kids or pets may also stay away from incense’s prolonged, exposed burning end.

Candles

Candles provide not only a lovely fragrance but also a cozy light to a room, unlike incense.

Candles also saturate a room with scent for several hours and can contain complex, layered aromas.

However, you must be able to light a candle long enough for the wax to melt to the edge of the jar.

Not burning for long enough will drastically cut the lifespan of your candle. You must also never leave a candle unattended.

These factors mean candles are more time investment. The soot and smoke of candles come off in larger quantities, and the exposed flame also presents safety concerns.

Wax Melts

When compared head-to-head with other home fragrance options, wax melts achieve many of the advantages of the others.

Wax melts also tend to avoid the disadvantages of candles and incense.

Depending on the warmer you purchase, you can still achieve a cozy ambiance and light show like a candle.

Wax melts also pose no risk from a burning end or active flame, like incense and candles.

Wax melts provide a steady fragrance that can last for hours or a more subtle scent.

With candles or incense, you cannot control the intensity of the aroma. You can control this easily by the number of melts added to the warmer.

The speed wax melts warm-up is also an advantage to the others. Wax melts can warm up in only a few minutes, meaning you can quickly get a burst of scent.

Or you can leave it burning for several hours, a versatility not found with candles or incense.

Wax melts are a great innovation to the home fragrance market. It is easy to dispose of wax melts, and there are several ways to do so.

Find the one that best meets your needs to enjoy your wax melts for years to come.

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