Good day dear friends! It's almost winter now. Many beekeepers are now preparing for the next season: they are repairing the frames, stringing wire into them, buying some equipment, inspecting their farm, including the honeycomb one, melting the wax, etc. So I recently drowned wax in my small one. Immediately after that, the thought arose: where else can beeswax be used, except for how trite to change it to honeycomb? It turns out that you can make candles from natural beeswax with your own hands.
Candles with their own hands. Why and who needs them?
Many may ask: “What is this for?” Well, at least in order to please yourself and your loved ones, as a maximum - to get additional profit from the apiary.
Friends, the New Year is coming soon! I don't even believe it. Many people associate this holiday not only with fun and holidays, but also with fuss, with gifts. No one wants to deprive loved ones, leave them without attention. But after all, not always and not everyone has the opportunity for this, including the material one. Here's an idea for you: make wonderful fragrant candles with your own hands from natural beeswax, not from paraffin, not from boring chemicals, but from an environmentally friendly natural product and give it to your loved ones! Even at school, in elementary school, our first teacher Svetlana Alexandrovna told us: “The best gift is the one that is made with your own hands and with love!”. Thanks her! I remember these words for the rest of my life.
The second option may be to use the resulting product(s) for commercial purposes. The product line on the counter of the beekeeper should always strive to expand. The market does not stand still. The buyer has become picky, choosy (or vice versa illegible ...), demanding, capricious and stingy. Including stingy and in relation to their health, but that's another topic. The buyer needs to please and hit right on target, to identify and satisfy his needs for the here and now. Why not put five candles on the counter? Beautiful, quite original (so far), exclusive. I think it makes sense.
How to make a wax candle with your own hands?
I, as usual, went the way of the least material costs. It is known that molds are needed to make candles. Most often they are made of silicone. After the wax has cooled, it is very easy to remove the silicone mold from the finished candle. Plastic molds or other molds made of hard, non-elastic material can be problematic.
So, where do you get these molds for making candles? Ideally, of course, it is better to buy them in a store. There is a wide choice of shapes and sizes. There is room for fantasy. But there is one point that at the initial stage can repel - the price. The price varies on average from about three hundred rubles to three thousand for one form.
I chose a different option. I went to one of the household stores and saw a silicone baking dish. I thought, "Why not?" It cost about 300 rubles. But there are six different options for baking candles. That is, one comes out to about 50 rubles. Bought.
And here is the view from the inside.
Then there was the question of choosing a wick. I have never made candles and after thinking a little I came to the conclusion that the wick should be made of natural material, since synthetics will surely burn with the release of an unpleasant odor. Nothing better came to my mind than to buy a jute cord. Two hundred meters in the coil came out about 60 rubles. Pennies. The cost of such a wick does not even need to be taken into account when calculating the cost of one candle.
I came home, took some wax and put it in a glass jar, and put the jar in a saucepan. 
That is, he made a water bath. Of course, it’s better not to use glass, it can burst, but I didn’t immediately orient myself. Probably because I wanted to quickly try to make a candle with my own hands))
While the wax was melting, I chose the prettiest mold and prepared it. Immediately made a hole for the wick. I did it with a fountain pen refill. He, by the way, was also useful to me in the future. It’s more convenient, of course, with an awl or a carnation, but it was too lazy to go to get it)))
I made a hole right in the middle. It is important. Then he threaded the future wick into it.
The tail of the wick took out a centimeter by 2.5-3. Then he again took the rod from the fountain pen and fixed the wick on the inside of the mold.
The wick must be stretched strictly vertically. If this is not done, then the candle will not burn evenly.
By this time, the wax had just ripened. It remains to carefully and evenly pour it into the mold.
Yes, the form must lie on a horizontal surface. Our candle should turn out to be even.
Literally immediately, the wax began to cool, forming a beautiful pattern. Wife looked at this beauty with rapture))
Well, the wax is almost frozen. There is no need to rush to take the form. Our candle is still soft and can be inadvertently deformed.
While the wax was curing, a small amount of it flowed out through the hole we made for the wick. It turned out not to be critical. So I left our candle to cool.
Here you go. Came in a couple of hours, when the mold had already cooled down. A sign was a noticeable decrease in the size of the candle itself and a small distance appeared between the candle and the mold walls.
Can be taken out. Here's what happened. From above, near the wick, I had to trim a little with a knife, since the wax turned out to be not quite clean and there was a little honey and water in it, which flowed down to the bottom of the mold and occupied part of the cavity there. The first pancake is lumpy. Now I will know that the wax should be as pure as possible. Yes, I trimmed the length of the wick a little more.
Everything, the candle is ready! To my surprise, it even caught fire and did not go out))) You can have a candlelit dinner.
So, a brief summary on using this method of making candles from wax with your own hands.:
- ease of manufacture, low cost and availability for the beekeeper of everything necessary is a definite plus;
- wax must be clean, without impurities;
- the wick must be made of natural materials;
- the form must be placed strictly horizontally, and the wick strictly vertically;
- do not rush to remove a hot candle from the mold;
- minus - poverty of variants of forms.
Conclusion: it is possible to use this method for domestic purposes and for experimental purposes, to analyze the market (demand). However, later it is worth looking at with a more pronounced and interesting volumetric texture and theme.
Well, now, as promised, an interesting crossword puzzle. The first five people who send me a list of correct answers in free form by e-mail will receive an electronic collection of Beekeeping magazines, consisting of 333 issues of this legendary magazine!
My email address is on the page
Please do not write answers in the comments!
What is beeswax? 4 commercial grades are considered, including wax for foundation, and it is indicated by what technology candles are made - 3 standard and 7 artistic technologies.
Beeswax is the basis of additives E901 and E902, that is, food and candle wax. In the Russian GOST, the properties of another product are indicated - raw materials for foundation. The foundation sheet must be of the highest quality, otherwise the bees will not accept it. Other natural grades exist, such as E903 carnauba wax. You can start making any candle from wax by studying the properties of this material.
Compliance with safety regulations in the manufacture of candles
The wax will already melt at 65°C. When heated to 100 °C, a whitish foam will appear.
Protective apron when working with wax
The critical temperature is considered to be 120 ° C, when vapors are released that can flare up. Therefore, at home, wax is melted in a water or steam bath.
You can not extinguish the flame with water - there will be an explosion. Use soda. And to block the access of oxygen, any improvised means will do. Before work, they put on a canvas apron, gloves, and clothes should hide the maximum surface of the body.
Preparing to make beeswax candles
Equip the workplace:
- Install a container with soda powder;
- You also need a pot or bucket of water in which you can put both hands;
- Remove grease and wax from equipment parts;
- The room must be ventilated.
Prepare dishes - iron, enameled, copper. Aluminum will smell.
Steam and water
A sponge is placed at the bottom of the container with water, and dishes for melting are placed on the sponge. The water level must be above the wax. The steam bath does not work like this: there is a bowl on the dish with water that covers the entire steam tank.
With a steam bath, the main thing is not to make a mistake with the volume of evaporated liquid. And the raw materials are washed, cooled and crushed before melting.
Tools and materials for making beeswax candles
You need to think about what to make a candle wick from. Usually three cotton threads are twisted or braided. You will also need:
- Pencil;
- Weight (can be taken in a tea candle);
- Needle for the wick, but only when making short candles.
Forms can be made from any material, but first they are lubricated with detergent. Wooden molds can be lubricated with vegetable oil.
Product E901
The base material is better to buy in granules, and wax E901 is white and yellow. Wax candles are of high quality, but they are sold only to beekeepers.
Materials for coloring candles
The dye is added to the melted wax and mixed. Materials:
- Wax crayons. Edible crayon cannot be made from paraffin.
- Fat-soluble food colors - powder, gel, paste;
- Acting makeup, but not much, 2-3 gr. per liter;
- Kandurin (gold), glitter (aluminum sequins). The glitter will leave a smell.
Gel dyes are suitable for both gel and wax candles.
food coloring
Makeup emits harmful substances, but it is needed for pastel shades.
Do not use dyes that are soluble in water.
Steps for making beeswax candles
Wax is brought to T=80 °C. The wick must be waxed by tying a weight to it and fixing it on a pencil. Next, the wick is fixed on the mold:
- The weight remains on the thread;
- The thread with the knot is passed through the hole at the bottom of the mold.
If a tunnel can be made in the candle, this step is skipped.
Candle without thread
At “step 2”, a dye is added, and a flavoring agent is added before pouring.
Pouring material into a mold
Even before melting, the mold is immersed in a detergent solution, then wiped, but not dry. It will be obligatory and warming up with a hairdryer.
Shape set
The wick must be vertical. The wax is then poured into the center of the mold.
Wax almost does not shrink, and hardening goes from the edge to the center.
Removing the candle from the mold
If a weight was used, the candle is pulled by the wick. For the variant with a node, this method is not suitable. The knot is cut off, and needles, hooks, etc. are used to extract it. With a form without a bottom, this method is also used.
If the mold is flexible, the candle can be squeezed out.
Types of wax candles
A compound candle always consists of the upper and lower halves. And candles with a short wick are sculptures that do not have a regular wick installed. Figured candles are obtained only in detachable or disposable forms. An example is geometric shapes. How to make such candles with your own hands, for beginners, is described in the video.
Figured wax candles at home
The form is made of paper, glued and painted over from the outside. Staining is carried out in order to seal the joints.
"Geometry"
A wick with a weight is installed, casting is carried out. The form is removed after cooling.
The valves at the joints will be only "external" (see photo).
DIY beeswax candle with floral motif
When using silicone, you can create a three-dimensional ornament. The detachable form is pulled together with clamps, and the wick is tied into a knot. With a one-piece form, on the contrary, a wick with a weight is used.
You can try to make a mold from 5-7 layers of sealant.
The sealant is applied to the sample covered with oil.
Do-it-yourself openwork wax candle
If pieces of ice are added to the mold, the finished product will be openwork. An example is in the photo.
Ice is lighter than water, and wax even more so. As it cools, the melted ice flows through the holes.
Precautions: the wick with a weight is glued to the bottom of the mold.
Colored wax candles
It’s even amazing what you can do with wax with your own hands, without using either silicone or paper.
Layer alternation
A candle of constant section is immersed in colored wax, alternating several layers. You don't need to wait for drying. Get a smooth transition or more complex effects.
White wax is the base material.
How to make a beautiful big wax candle
Take a multi-layer workpiece. And on the edges they make “leaves”.
carved ornament
All tiers are processed with a cutter in turn. Start from the top tier.
The previous chapter covered how to make an interleaved layer.
How to make a wax rose with your own hands
The basis of a rose is a waxed wick. It is wrapped in petals.
wax roses
A small master class:
- The wax is poured onto a saucer;
- At T=37-40 °C the plate is removed with a thin knife;
- Form a layer of petals.
The more layers, the more solid the result.
The plate, without removing it from the saucer, is sometimes cut into 2 or 3.
Candle made from palm wax
Product E903 is supplied in granules which are poured into glassware. The surface must be leveled, and a waxed wick is installed in the center.
Wax pellet candles
The design looks simple. But a wick 10 cm long will not burn out even in a day.
Other names for E903 wax are Carnauba, Brazilian, Palm.
Nuances in choosing a wick
Beekeeping magazine determined what the optimal wick diameter is if the raw material is foundation.
These data are also valid for E90X materials. The color of the E901 granules does not play a role. And for the product E902, the numbers in the first line must be reduced.
When making candles from beeswax, they also make a wick with their own hands. Impregnation can be copper sulphate, salt or zinc filings. And the flame will be painted in the color of a sea wave, light blue or cornflower blue. And the material is cotton thread.
Video - Master Class
Benefits and uses of beeswax ear candles
A tube of gauze with wax will help remove the sulfur plug. The method is not approved by medicine, but it is used in Asia.
Waxed gauze
Mode of application:
- Cut off part of the cone;
- Cover the patient's head with a cloth made of natural material (linen), make a slit;
- Install the tube and set fire to it;
- Extinguish the flame when it reaches the mark.
Then, for 15 minutes, a cotton wool turunda is installed.
Benefits of beeswax candles
A tubular candle helps to get rid of diseases:
- Tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils), rhinitis, otitis;
- sinusitis;
- Hearing loss;
- tinnitus, dizziness;
- Sleep disturbance.
Antibiotics are needed to cure the infection. Without them, the benefit of the considered method will be zero. And if the wax gets into the ear canal, there will be a difficult treatment, however, without surgical intervention.
Another “minus” is the fire hazard. Contraindications: purulent otitis media, ear infections, allergies to pollen or propolis.
Candles with their own hands. Why and who needs them?
It makes no sense to ask what is the use of art for a person. Still can't find an answer.
Technology "3 layers + thread"
From everything that is discussed above, the benefit will be to the master himself, that is, to the author of the work. And if it turns out to be successful, it can be used in any of three qualities:
- As a bright and memorable gift;
- As a business card of products offered by the beekeeper;
- As proof of the naturalness and high quality of wax raw materials.
The number of candle painters in Russia is now small. And success does not come to those who try to copy one of the well-known technologies. The possibility of inventing a new technology is another reason to master the candle business, and it is better if the beekeeper masters it himself.
Use of wax at home
Glaze and chocolate are prepared with edible wax, it is part of chewing gum. Medicine uses the bee product in a different way - it serves as the basis for ointments and is an important material for dentistry. And the product corresponding to GOST 21179-2000 is intended not only for foundation. It is used in the same way as E901 granules.
Use in traditional medicine is not considered here.
Data
White granules E901 look like paraffin. It is impossible to distinguish one from the other by color.
A new kind of art
However, a paraffin candle leaves soot on the mirror. Other disadvantages are listed below.
How to expose paraffin
A natural product should sink in 44% alcohol. The density of paraffin is lower and it floats. Also, paraffin melts at a lower temperature than wax. But this problem is solved in its own way - they add natural ceresin. Its melting point is 65-88 °C.
Regardless of what is added, the density only goes down.
Candlestick cleaning
It is easy to clean the candlestick from wax - you need hot water, optionally boiled. And soot leaves paraffin or ceresin. To clean it off, you need chemistry. And let it be neutral in relation to enamel or coating.
The second way to remove wax is to freeze to T = -1 °C - -2 °C.
The composition of the candle
The products of some candle factories leave no doubts about the high quality.
Candles in retail
What is considered a food product is used for casting candles! But more often a mixture of wax and ceresin is used. The first of the two components is the E902 wax.
Comparison of the cost of E901 and E902: "2.5 to 1" or "3 to 1".
Disadvantages of paraffin candles
A thin synthetic wick is a sign of a paraffin candle. The burn rate depends on the diameter of the wick. And the soot left by candles consists of paraffin combustion products. Among them, a significant part of the entire periodic table is represented.
Wax, consisting of 50 organic substances, does not leave any soot.
Good day, friends. Here is the request:Good afternoon! Please tell me the recipe wax church candle. On the market, wax and ready-made wax candles cost the same. Accordingly, it is not difficult to guess that additives are added to the wax. Can you tell me what and in what proportions to add to beeswax in order to reduce the cost of candles, but at the same time so that the candles smell of wax, do not flow and do not break when you bend them in your hands?“We answer: Victor, hello. When launching a mini candle production plant, you should prepare for the fact that you will have to work hard on the final recipe of the candle composition in order to get high-quality products at the output. By experimenting with the ratio of the components used, you can find your own, ideal recipe. But the purchase of a ready-made and “tested” raw material composition will cost the entrepreneur a tidy sum.
Today a church candle made of paraffin c by adding wax became commonplace. Candles made from whole beeswax are also sold, but are much more expensive than paraffin ones. To comply with church canons during production, at least 15% wax is added to the paraffin; dyes are also added so that the candle has a wax color familiar to the eye, and ceresin - for stability. The paraffin itself must be of high quality: white, odorless and oily, otherwise the candle will smoke. Production of church candles - raw materials
There are no special mixture recipes for making church candles.
Natural beeswax, ceresin, food and technical paraffin are compatible with each other in any percentage.
The composition of the material for the manufacture of church candles determine the capabilities of parishioners. Someone can afford expensive candles made of pure beeswax, someone will buy semi-wax.
But the most popular are church candles made of relatively inexpensive paraffin brand YaV-1. Paraffin of this brand has no oil smell, so it can be flavored, and the color is very close to the color of natural wax.
Therefore, for a church shop, it is desirable to make on a universal manual machine not only all the numbers of church candles, but candles from materials that differ in cost.
Paraffin candles in beeswax
The hand-operated drum church loom with the shuttle movement of the wick provides a unique opportunity for the manufacture of church paraffin candles in a shell of natural beeswax.
On any other church machines, including casting molds, this operation is impossible.
The exception is handmade church candles, also made according to the old technology, using the dipping method.
Semi-wax candles are church candles made from a mixture of melted beeswax and paraffin.
The sheathed candle is also actually a semi-wax candle. But in it paraffin and beeswax are not mixed with each other.
Inside the candle is inexpensive technical paraffin or any other candle raw material, and on the outside there is a layer of natural beeswax.
Moreover, a manual church machine allows the thickness of the outer layer to be easily changed.
The thickness of the wax coating can be several tenths of a millimeter, i.e. like a film, and be equal to almost half the diameter of the candle.
By changing the thickness of the beeswax shell, you can adjust the cost of a church candle.
The shell, made from a mixture of paraffin and beeswax, will further reduce the cost of raw materials for the manufacture of church candles.
In appearance and aroma, cheap candles, even in a very thin natural shell, are absolutely identical to 100% wax church candles.
Technical paraffin, including the YaV-1 grade, has a low melting point and the beginning of softening.
So that candles do not bend during the hot season, do not stick to hands and do not stick together with each other during transportation, refractory ceresin is added to technical paraffin in the manufacture of church candles.
The higher the percentage of ceresin in the candle mass, the more resistant to heat the church candle.
A refractory shell will help reduce the consumption of expensive, compared to paraffin, ceresin and at the same time increase the resistance of candles to heat.
Even a thin protective layer of ceresin will prevent church candles from sticking together during long-term storage and provide unbending hardness during the procession on a summer sunny day.
Food grade paraffin P-2 belongs to environmentally friendly grades of petroleum paraffins. They cover hard cheeses and impregnate packaging material for other food products. It is also widely used in cosmetics and medicine.
Cleaner burning and the ability to be easily dyed any color have made white edible paraffin the main raw material for making decorative candles.
Paraffin brand YaV-1 and beeswax have a pronounced color of their own, so it is impossible to repaint them in rich red, yellow and especially snow-white.
A decorative shell made of dyed food paraffin will help to effectively solve all color problems.
It not only camouflages the dirty gray color of a church candle made of technical paraffin, but also increases its resistance to heat, since P-2 food paraffin has a fairly high infusibility index.
It is known that in the period of time preceding the widespread use of petroleum products, beeswax was used as a raw material for the manufacture of church candles. Beeswax is a complex mixture of many substances. It contains esters (70-74%), free fatty acids (13-25%) and saturated hydrocarbons (12-15%). This composition of beeswax provides an even non-smoky candle flame. However, the low melting point of beeswax does not provide good dimensional stability for small diameter candles, especially at elevated temperatures. In addition, the shortage and high cost of beeswax limit the expansion of the production of church candles in accordance with the growing demand in the country and the organization of exports.
To make an ordinary white candle, you will need stearin, paraffin and a wick. Buy these materials in small flakes or in small forms.
What are candles made from? To color liquid molten material, dissolve wax powder in it. It comes in all colors of the spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
Now new materials have appeared on the market, such as colored powder wax. Buy it in packages of several grams - such packages are also good for a gift.
To introduce original inclusions into the base material and achieve beautiful color combinations, use small tablets or wax grains.
Buy special wax strips and use them to decorate the outside of the candle.
Leaves of beeswax will give the candles a delicate honey scent.
Special gelatin for candles is available in various colors and has good properties, in particular, it dissolves easily and burns for a long time.
Modeling wax is sold in small forms and is suitable even for delicate fingers, so you can safely connect your child to the process of making candles.
Chandelier
A massive chandelier, as a rule, has numerous branches. A large candle is placed in the center of it, and smaller candles are placed around it. Antique candelabra made of different materials: wood, ivory, bronze - and decorated with decorative and symbolic figures.
What are candles made from?
Paraffin and stearin
Paraffin is found in various types of oil and is a by-product in the production of lubricants. It is sold in the paint and varnish departments in the form of bars, blocks and flakes. In fact, it is a white transparent mass without taste and smell, which melts at a temperature between +40°C and +65°C. Paraffin is used not only for the manufacture of candles: it is used in the paper, textile and electrical (as an insulating material) industry, in the production of rubber, explosives, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Paraffin is mixed with stearin, a triglyceride of stearic acid obtained from animal fats. Stearin candles contain up to 60-70% stearin, the rest of their composition is paraffin, the beneficial properties of which improve the quality of the cheapest varieties.
Buy wax leaves, gold or silver decorative laces, and ready-made candles of various shapes and colors that you are going to decorate.
Decorate candles with laces before the New Year and Christmas holidays and present such candles to your friends and relatives.
Liquid paraffin and stearin takes the form of the container where it is stuck.
Use yogurt jars, plastic cups, clay bowls, and cookie cutters.
Stores sell special plastic molds for candles.
Vessels made from reimbursable materials
Insert the wick into the cardboard cone. Melt paraffin (3:4) and stearin (1:4) in a ladle. Cool the liquid so that you can dip your finger into it and not burn yourself. Supporting the wick with a wooden stick (toothpick, clothespin, etc.), pour in some wax and let it cool until the wick sticks to the bottom of the container and stays exactly in the center of the candle. Seal all possible holes with putty, otherwise the wax will leak out, then pour it into the container. Shake it a little to avoid air bubbles. If, despite this, voids have formed around the wick, add more wax.
table decoration
Put small flat candles in a bowl of water to float on the surface, and larger candles on a composition of Christmas trees, fruits and flowers made from pastry, and let them light up the festive table.
Decorate candles with decorative peas, paint with stripes, decorate with flowers made using the patchwork technique.
Stores sell flat wicks specifically for very large candles and hard wicks already impregnated with wax in various sizes. Choose a wick that matches the size of your candle: if it is too small, then the candle will only partially burn out, and if it is too large, then a smoky flame will form.
Get your wicks and duct tape ready.
To place the wicks in a large container, secure them to the bottom with balls of putty. Fasten two strips of duct tape around the edges of the container, poke holes and insert the wicks.
Stretch the wicks well and secure with duct tape. Pour the melted wax into the container.
Wax work
Melt the wax in a water bath, but do not bring the process to the appearance of an unpleasant odor. If you are doing this on a stovetop, cover it with special foil, otherwise wax stains can damage the surface and are very difficult to clean off.
Melt the wax. You can use paraffin and add 10-15% stearin.
To color the base material, mix the liquid substance with aniline, wax pastel or oil paint.
Pour the melted liquid into a container.
Often, during the cooling process, a void forms around the wick. Fill it with wax of the chosen color.
Cones and colored stripes
To make candles with multi-colored layers, fill part of the mold with wax and wait for it to harden. Then add wax of a different color. Rub the candle with flannel moistened with ammonia or ethyl alcohol.
Insert the wick into the mold. Insert it obliquely into a saucer of salt.
Slowly pour the wax next to the wick. To make the stripes stand out clearly, do not stain the walls of the form.
When the liquid hardens, take the opposite side and pour the wax of a different color. Continue the process until the entire form is filled out.
By itself, wax is nothing more than a mixture of simple lipids, which are characterized by low chemical activity. Wax and wax products do not dissolve in water, but they lend themselves to the power of gasoline, ether, chloroform. Wax is of two types - animal and vegetable, they differ from each other in the way of appearance and natural purpose.
Use of wax at home
Smart practical humanity quickly figured out what can be made of wax and now they are actively using it:
- for the manufacture of candles;
- in the composition of natural and decorative cosmetics;
- in the production of furniture, wood products, marble, explosives and even food additives;
- in art and medicine.
Wax candles are probably the most popular product. Only earlier they were a necessity, and now they are a decor, a romantic or relaxing addition, relaxing the soul and body. The exception is church candles, which have had the same meaning in all ages.
Video: Making candles at home from beeswax
Candles
Candles are made from natural and non-natural materials. Beeswax candles are natural, they are very much appreciated, so they are used even in the church. But the most popular unnatural substance is paraffin, which is obtained from oil refining and is much cheaper than wax candles. But where there is money, there is also human cunning, which is why it is sometimes so difficult to distinguish a natural candle from a paraffin one at a glance. Even church candles fall under such deception, on which some earn decent money. Also, cheap church candles are made from Austrian resin - ceresin.
Since ancient times, candles in themselves have been something magical and cult, causing a kind of awe in people. To this day, church candles are an inseparable attribute of services and any events associated with the name of God, denoting many signs for people. Church candles are also used outside the temple, for example, by whisperers, grandmothers, fortune-tellers, psychics, magicians.
How to expose paraffin
In fact, beeswax candles differ in many ways from paraffin products. Here are detailed instructions on how to distinguish between them:
- Initially, it is worth remembering that the wax is yellow, sometimes even closer to a brown tone, and the paraffin is white. Of course, the manufacturers thought of coloring the paraffin, but if you see a white candle, then, in general, there can be no doubt.
- Bring a lit candle close to a mirror or glass, hold it for a while. A wax candle will not leave a mark, and a paraffin one will leave black soot.
- Try to take a knife and cut the candle - the paraffin will immediately crumble, and the wax will react gently and pliably.
- Beeswax candles have a subtle but characteristic honey smell. The aroma of paraffin leaves much to be desired.
- You can make a test by bending - the paraffin will instantly break, the wax will most likely bend, but will not break easily.
- When the storage period has expired, the wax candle is covered with a light bloom, and the paraffin candle does not change, retaining its original presentation.
- Paraffin burns quickly enough, decreasing literally before our eyes. Wax candles burn slowly, they are necessarily accompanied by dripping drops of wax.
Common use of wax by humans
What people just didn’t come up with to do with wax material and ready-made candles:
- Many people make candles on their own, turning this process into a hobby or income.
- Lovers of extraordinary sexual relations drip hot wax on the partner's body (it is important to know the nuances here in order to avoid serious burns), which causes shocking reviews in most people.
- Candles are used in alternative medicine, for example, ear candles that need to be inserted into the ear and lit are popular. The reviews of those who have tried this treatment on themselves are quite positive. candles are dangerous.
Consider in more detail the above methods of using wax.
Video: This is how candles are made
Homemade candle making
From what to make candles is up to you. For casting suitable use:
- beeswax - melts at about 62 ºС, cools down in 6 hours;
- soy wax - melts at about 80 ºС, cools down in 5 hours;
- paraffin - melts at about 60 ºС, cools down in 24 hours;
- old candles - melt at about 85 ºС, cool down in 2 hours.
Candles are made according to the following scheme:
- Prepare the workplace by covering it with newspapers, rags or something unnecessary.
- Grind the wax on a grater or thinly cut with a knife. This will help the wax melt faster and more evenly.
- Next, you need to melt the wax using the water bath method. If you simply melt wax on fire, it will either burn or evaporate altogether.
- A special confectionery thermometer will help to observe the temperature for the used material.
- Flavor oil and oil-based dye can be added to the melted wax. Mix very thoroughly.
- Place a wick in the mold before you start pouring the wax into the mold. To place the wick in the center and not knock it down at the time of casting, you need to fix it on a long pencil or knitting needle. Place the needle on top of the mold.
- Next is the critical moment of casting. It is necessary to pour the wax correctly, slowly without splashing.
- Cool the resulting candle. The ideal time for complete cooling is a day.
Healing candles for ears
You can buy ear candles in pharmacies or order online, but first it is important to familiarize yourself with the drug by carefully reading the information leaflet. The instruction contains information on how to properly use these ear candles, describes contraindications.
The simplest thing for which ear candles are used is the softening of sulfuric plugs, followed by removal. The main function is warming, and the components included in the composition anesthetize and relieve inflammation. Ear candles are also used:
- with hearing loss;
- having stress, insomnia;
- when ear noises appear;
- with inflammation of the ear, throat, nose;
- with colds, SARS, flu;
- with headaches;
- with neuritis of the auditory nerve, otosclerosis.
Step-by-step description of the treatment procedure:
- Massage the auricle using baby cream.
- Lay the patient on his side so that he is comfortable. Place a towel or scarf over your head.
- Cover the ear with a napkin, in which you need to make a cut in advance. The hole should be exactly above the ear canal.
- Put a protective circle cut out of cardboard on the candle. It will create a kind of barrier between the face and the fire. Wrap the lower end of the candle with a piece of foil.
- Light a candle. Put the non-burning side to your ear.
- Wait until it burns to a certain mark, and put out in a glass of water.
- Gently clean the ear canal with an ear stick, then close the ear with a cotton swab. After that, the person being treated should lie down for at least 10 minutes.
- Do exactly the same procedure with the next ear.
Such treatment is always carried out for both ears, even if one of them does not hurt. You need to start warming up with a healthy ear or a less sick one.
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Candlestick cleaning
A beautiful candlestick complements the magic of the candle and is also essential for safety. The reviews of most people say that cleaning a candlestick from wax is not an easy task. Maybe so, but it's still real. There are several ways to clean a candlestick:
- Initially, you need to rid the candlestick of large wax residues. From hard-to-reach places it is easy to remove with a toothpick. Heavily dried drops can be softened by dousing them with boiling water or hot air from a hair dryer. The wax film can be removed with an alcohol-based liquid such as cologne. At the end, polish the candlestick.
- In the second option, you can soak the candlestick in a bowl of hot water and powder, then wash it with a cloth using dishwashing detergent. Wipe dry with a towel.
- A candlestick smeared in wax should be put in the freezer for a couple of hours, and then cleaned of wax with a brush and toothpick.
Not every candlestick will withstand all the methods described above, so when choosing a cleaning method, you should start from what material it is made of.
