DIY Citronella Candles with Beeswax to Hold Mosquitos Away!

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It’s formally bug season and I’m scrambling to seek out pure methods to repel all of the bugs thriving from the wetness Could left behind. The summer time months are forward of us and pure citronella oil is an absolute should. Utilizing utterly pure elements, let’s enterprise into the fantastic world of candle making and shield our out of doors area the pure means with DIY citronella candles! These pesky mosquitoes are not any match for these highly effective insect repellent candles!

We reside in Oklahoma and our state is notorious for allergic reactions and bugs. There are screens on each window as a result of there is no such thing as a means you might permit a gateway for bugs to hitch your family. If mosquitos are an issue in your neck of the woods, you’ll wish to contemplate making these DIY citronella candles. Plus, I’ll offer you just a few extra tips about easy methods to keep bug free this summer time!

Why Make DIY Citronella Candles?

Making your personal DIY citronella candles is a good suggestion for just a few causes. One, it’s artistic and enjoyable. Gained’t you get a way of delight burning selfmade candles? Additionally, they create ambiance. Candle gentle on the patio, a glass of wine, good music-it’s a vibe that’s for certain! The most important cause is they supply safety in opposition to mosquitos. Whereas they aren’t the best bug repellent you might use, they’re value utilizing and supply at the least one layer of safety. I prefer to put on THESE non-toxic bands in addition to preserve my selfmade bug spray shut. Whereas practising all three habits, you need to have the ability to have an pleasant time outdoor. 

A few years in the past I wrote a publish on a DIY Bug Repellent recipe and in addition a Bug Chew Balm.  I talked concerning the risks of typical bug sprays and burdened that squirting copious quantities of bug repellent time and again is extremely poisonous.  Over time I’ve made a number of new batches of my bug repellent and have already put it to good use however I’ve all the time wished to make my very own citronella candles as a result of I LOVE candles and who doesn’t want as a lot safety as they’ll get with these dang mosquitos!

You may also like my citronella bug repellent cubes as effectively! These candle wax melts are easy to make and require no wick!

First, just a few issues about Citronella Important Oil…

Citronella oil is a well-liked and efficient pure mosquito repellent.  It’s additionally a superb soother for bug bites!  It’s a potent anti fungal in addition to antibacterial and antiseptic.

In a 2011 situation of Tropical Medicine & International Health, an evaluation of 11 research on the capabilities of citronella oil discovered that the important oil probably supplied as much as three hours of safety in opposition to mosquitoes.

Citronella oil repels mosquitos by blocking the scent of people that pulls them.

Second, just a few issues about beeswax candles…..

Do you know that beeswax really purifies the air?   Beeswax releases NEGATIVE IONS into the air very like diffusing important oils does.  Air pollution like smoke, dander, pollen, mud and dust carry a POSITIVE cost.  The unfavorable beeswax ions connect to the constructive pollution and mainly wrestle them to the bottom to the place they’re inactive!  

Burning beeswax candles will be extraordinarily useful for these of you affected by allergic reactions and bronchial asthma!   If you’re burning pure beeswax candles, it solely takes a pair hours of burning to assist clear the air!

For extra detailed step-by-step (with image) directions, confer with my publish on easy methods to make beeswax candles.

What You’ll Want for DIY Citronella Candles:

Supplies

• 1/2 cup Unrefined Coconut Oil 
• 1 lb. Beeswax 
• 1 ounce (600 drops) Citronella Important Oil 

Instruments

• Glass containers or jars in your candles.
• Lead Free Wicks 
• garments pins
• A medium sized pot
• A glass pyrex bowl with spout 
• A cookie sheet

Directions

1. Put together the empty containers through the use of a sizzling glue gun to attach the candle wick within the backside of the jar or glass candle holder and steadying it with a garments pin. 
2. Place your ready glass candle holders within the oven at 170 levels. 
3. Create a double boiler by filling a medium sized pot 1/2 means full with water, place a glass pyrex bowl within the water.
4. Pour beeswax and coconut oil in a glass bowl and permit to completely soften.  Hold your range prime on low-medium warmth.
5. Take away glass bowl from warmth and add 80-100 drops of Citronella to the wax.   
6. Pour sizzling wax into glass containers. I used to be in a position to make 5 candles from 1 lb. of wax. You possibly can see the sizes from my footage. 
7. Regular the wicks and let the wax cool, ideally in a heat (170F) oven. (see why beneath)
8. Trim your wicks. (1/2 inch from the wax)
9. Enable to set for 48 hours with a view to remedy earlier than lighting.

Notes

• Purchase low cost citronella important oil. There isn’t any have to go together with a top quality model.
• We aren’t making use of it to our pores and skin and we’re utilizing rather a lot. I used THIS oil.
• When you’ve got a bunch of outdated candles mendacity round and even candles that you simply did not burn utterly, you’ll be able to soften the wax and use them on this recipe. Beeswax is in fact a more healthy choice however I all the time like to repurpose objects in my dwelling that I now not use! Skip the coconut oil if you’re utilizing already made candles. 
• ​In the event you desire to skip the beeswax, you should use soy wax as an alternative. Skip the coconut oil should you do. 

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Candle Making Ideas and Methods: 

• Warmth your glass candle containers within the oven on low (170 levels Fahrenheit) whereas your beeswax melts on the range prime.  This may permit little or no “shock” to the beeswax whereas it’s being poured into the containers which is able to stop cracking.  I put mine on a cookie sheet for simple removing.
• When you’ve poured the wax into your candle containers, permit your candles to chill within the oven at 170 levels Fahrenheit together with your oven door barely ajar.  This may stop cracking as effectively.  Make sure you carry on cookie sheet!!
• Cleansing up after beeswax will be an not possible process. I counsel you both use a disposable container to soften your coconut oil and beeswax in, or you’ll be able to put your glass bowl within the oven, permit the remaining beeswax to utterly soften, then wipe it out with a paper towel. It’s the one means I’ve discovered to scrub up. 
• When first lighting your candles, all the time level the flame on the backside of the wick in order that your candle will burn accurately.
• The primary time you burn your candle, make certain you could have sufficient time to let it burn lengthy sufficient for the wax to soften evenly on the highest of the candle. That is necessary with any candle and helps “prepare” your candle to not tunnel. (see beneath for extra tips about avoiding tunneling)
• Don’t get in a rush when melting your beeswax.  In the event you soften your wax in too excessive a temp, you might render the beeswax ineffective.  Hold the range prime on low-medium warmth.
• Don’t add your important oils whereas the warmth continues to be on the wax.  If the wax is just too sizzling, the oil will expend and in addition be ineffective.

Associated Submit: Important Oil Spider Spray



Additional Useful Tricks to Hold Mosquitos Away:

• As talked about above, THESE bands are nice. They’re low cost, snug and simple to go out at events. 
• Plant lemon balm and/or citronella round your patio or had been you want to hang around. These vegetation add an additional layer of safety in opposition to annoying bugs. Citronella is a “tender perennial” so should you don’t have a tough winter, it almost definitely will come again every spring. Lemon Balm can be a perennial and a bit extra hardy. 
• Drop just a few additional drops of important oil on the floor of your candles earlier than lighting.
• Lemon Eucalyptus oil is one other pure oil that works effectively in opposition to mosquitos and can be utilized in a diffuser outdoor.
• Burn citronella incense whereas exterior.
• Examine round your patio area for any standing/stagnant water. You’d be shocked how eliminating water round your sitting space could make an enormous distinction. 



Bother Taking pictures Candle Tunneling 

Do-it-yourself beeswax candles, whereas simple to make, are arduous to get proper. As you’ll be able to see from my pics, my candles are tunneling (when the wax solely burns down the center of the candle).

I’ve found out just a few tips to maintain your candles from tunneling and deal with it intimately in my easy methods to make beeswax candles publish. I’ll inform you right here that it’s crucial that you simply “prepare” your candles the primary time you gentle them. This implies, you allow them to burn lengthy sufficient that the wax melts all the way in which to the outer edges of the container. Beeswax candles have a tendency to want some assist with this so I might counsel you utilize foil to assist. See image beneath. 

Additionally, don’t be afraid to make use of 2 wicks in a single container. I’m discovering that solely votives work with 1 wick. Something bigger wants 2 if not 3 wicks. 



Have enjoyable with this enjoyable selfmade citronella candle recipe! This yr, we’d like all the assistance we are able to get exterior!

You may also get pleasure from my tutorial for making soy candles.

Making your personal selfmade citronella candles is a good way to salvage these summer time nights spent exterior. They’re simple to make and comparatively reasonably priced. I believe THESE jars are a terrific dimension to make fairly just a few candles to maintain readily available to deliver as hostess presents to barbecues! 

xx, Jenni

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