DIY Beeswax Citronella Candles
Enjoy the ambiance of candles without annoying mosquito bites! Citronella essential oil naturally repels mosquitoes and other pesky insects when added to homemade beeswax candles.
These DIY beeswax citronella candles look beautiful, smell fresh, and protect your outdoor living spaces from bugs. Making your own allows you to fully customize the scent, shape, colors and experience.
Read on to learn why beeswax candles are superior, the benefits of citronella oil, and step-by-step instructions for crafting your own insect-repelling candles at home.
Why Beeswax Candles?
Before we dive into the DIY project, let’s look at why beeswax makes the absolute best candles:
Pure and Natural
Beeswax is a 100% natural wax produced by honey bees. It’s sustainable, biodegradable and free of toxins. Beeswax has a lovely natural honey aroma and golden color when in its pure form.
Clean Burning
Beeswax candles burn much cleaner than paraffin, soy or other waxes. No petroleum byproducts, soot or smoke. Just a bright, warm flame with very little dripping.
Long Lasting
The slow burn rate of beeswax makes these candles last much longer than typical paraffin candles. Each candle burns for many hours before needing to be replaced.
Non-Toxic
No nasty fumes or chemicals released as beeswax burns. It even purifies the air by producing negative ions! Safe for use around kids and pets.
Pollen Inside
Tiny bits of real honeycomb and pollen grains end up naturally trapped in the wax. This adds to the health benefits of beeswax candles as you’ll literally be breathing in pollen!
Pleasant Ambiance
The warm glow and sweet honey scent of pure beeswax candles creates a homey atmosphere. These natural candles look beautiful in any setting.
As you can see, beeswax is superior to paraffin, soy, and other waxes when it comes to candles. Now let’s talk about adding citronella essential oil to make them bug repelling as well!
Benefits of Citronella
Citronella essential oil comes from lemongrass leaves and has been used as an insect repellent for over 50 years. Using citronella candles helps create an impermeable scent barrier that bugs don’t want to cross.
But why does citronella oil repel insects so effectively?
Masks Human Scent
Mosquitos track their human “prey” largely through scent. Citronella oil camouflages the smells that attract bugs to people.
Repelling Fragrance
The strong lemon-lime fragrance of citronella oil is unpleasant and overpowering to bugs. Mosquitos will steer clear of the aroma.
Irritates Insect Senses
Citronella vapors appear to irritate and overwhelm insect odor receptors. This makes it hard for them to locate their targets.
Natural and Safe
Unlike chemical bug sprays, pure citronella oil is a plant-based repellent that’s non-toxic for kids, pets and the environment.
Other Benefits
Citronella oil also has antifungal and antibacterial properties. Its pleasant, uplifting aroma promotes relaxation.
How to Make DIY Beeswax Citronella Candles
Now that you know the benefits of beeswax and citronella, let’s get to the fun part – making candles!
Here’s what you’ll need:
– Beeswax – pellets or blocks
– Citronella essential oil
– Mason jars – 8 oz size
– Wicks – pre-tabbed or make your own
– Double boiler
– Spoon or chopstick
– Drop cloth or wax paper
This project only requires a few supplies you likely already have at home. Let’s go through the easy steps:
1. Setup
Cover your work surface with a drop cloth or wax paper to protect it. Assemble all materials and put on an apron. Give jars a wash and dry completely.
2. Melt Beeswax
Fill double boiler with 2-3 inches of water and place over medium heat. Once simmering, add beeswax and stir occasionally until fully melted.
Use a ratio of 1 ounce beeswax per 1 fluid ounce of candle jar capacity. For 8 oz jars use 8 ounces of wax.
3. Add Citronella Oil
Once wax is melted, remove from heat and let cool briefly. Add 30-40 drops of citronella essential oil per 8 ounces of melted wax and stir to blend.
Use more oil for stronger scent. Start with less until you find your desired fragrance level.
4. Pour Into Jars
Carefully pour the melted wax into each jar, leaving 1⁄2 inch at the top. Tap sides to release air bubbles. Let candles fully set and harden.
5. Insert Wicks
Once hardened, gently slide a pre-tabbed wick into the center of each jar bottom. Or secure DIY wicks with adhesive to chopstick and lower into wax.
Trim wick ends if needed so 1⁄4-1⁄2 inch remains above wax.
6. Enjoy Your Candles!
Display your finished DIY beeswax citronella candles outdoors on tables, shelves, stair rails, etc. Light the wicks and relax bug-free!
Tips for Best Results:
– Use an essential oil candle warmer instead of lighting wicks to extend life.
– Add more wax to reuse jars. Strain out debris and old wicks first.
– Combine citronella with lemongrass, eucalyptus or mint oils for added scent layers.
– Consider soy wax for jar candles and beeswax for free-standing taper candles.
– Test wick height as candles burn and trim as needed to prevent smoking.
– Carefully pour leftover wax into silicone molds or wrap in wax paper for fun wax melts!
Now you can create beautiful, all-natural citronella candles perfect for spending summer evenings outside mosquito-free. Customize candles in different colors, scents, and shapes for home decor magic.
Safety Tips for Handling Beeswax
When working with hot wax, follow these precautions:
– Use heat resistant containers, utensils, and work surfaces.
– Never leave melting wax unattended.
– Keep pets and children away from hot wax.
– Carefully pour wax into jars one at a time.
– Apply first aid for any spills or burns immediately.
– Allow wax to fully harden before handling finished candles.
Other Uses for Beeswax
Besides candle making, you can use your DIY beeswax for:
– Sealing homemade lotion, balm or salve jars
– Waterproofing fabric, shoes and outdoor gear
– Preventing cheese from molding
– Protecting wood cutting boards from stains
– Lubricating drawer slides and hinges
– Making your own lip balm, chapstick, or mustache wax
– Handmade furniture polish
And so much more! Don’t limit yourself to just candles. Beeswax is an incredibly useful material from the hive with tons of applications.
The Bottom Line
Light up your yard while keeping pests at bay with homemade citronella candles! Combining the natural insect repelling powers of citronella essential oil with the clean burning benefits of beeswax makes for an ideal outdoor candle.
Making your own allows you to fully customize the look, scent, and burn time. While requiring some safety precautions when pouring hot wax, the process is quite simple.
The real fun comes in designing candle vessels, playing with color combinations, and blending essential oil scents. Gift your handcrafted candles or proudly display them outside to enjoy relaxing evenings free of mosquito bites and buzzing.
Fire up those backyard gatherings and barbecues into the night without getting carried away by bugs. Citronella candles create a barrier that insects don’t dare cross!
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