How to Make Homemade Citronella Candles

Who loves to get bitten by mosquitoes and other insects that take advantage of our blood? No one!

But did you know? Citronella oil is known as an effective insect repellent because of its ability to conceal the scents insects are fond of.

And here I show you how to make homemade citronella candles!

Materials

Procedure

1. Stick the bottom of the pre-waxed wicks at the containers using a glue gun or a tape. Make sure that it’s at the center.
2. Prepare your double boiler, set the heat at medium heat, add the wax, then let it melt. The wax can be in bar form or flaked, it’s just up to you what you want to use.
3. It’s now time to add the citronella oil. You’ll only need 3 to 5 drops of oil per container. If you want to add some fragrance, like those other fragrances that also repel bugs (rosemary, oregano, peppermint), you can add 2 – 3 drops of any of those.
4. If you want to add colour, you can also opt to mix non-toxic crayons into it. If you find the colour too dark or too strong, don’t worry, it will lighten once it cooled down.
5. Before you put the wax into the containers, you should first make the containers warm so that the wax will cool evenly and there will be no problem when you pour it too hot. To do that, set the oven at its lowest temperature and put the containers inside for a few seconds or even a minute.
6. Cool the wax slightly before you put it into the containers then fix the position of the wick, still at the center. You can secure the position using a stick if you’re having trouble. Let it cool.
7. You can also decorate the containers with ribbons or anything you like. Store them where bugs and insects are rampant so that it will be easier for you to light them up whenever they are around.

We hope this post was helpful!

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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