Do you have an Outer Banks Candle Company Vintage Glass candle that has burned for the last time? This is actually GREAT news!
Our Antique and Vintage Glass candles are meant to have a two-part life that starts as a candle and begins again once the candle wax has burned completely down. But now what do you do with it?
We have some ideas! Once you’ve cleaned the remaining wax out of your candle there are several different useful and fun ways to repurpose your Antique and Vintage Glass around your house!
How to Clean Out Wax From Your Glass
Soy wax is very easy to clean out of the glass once the candle is done burning. You can continue to enjoy the beautiful glass for years after!
Time needed: 5 minutes
Follow the steps below to successfully clean your antique glass candle. Our process can also be used for our popular Mason Jar candles as well.
You can also find these directions and other useful tips on our FAQ page.
- Scoop the Remaining Wax Out
Soy wax is soft and easily scraped out with a spoon! Be sure to scrape your remaining wax into the trash can so you don’t clog your sink. If the wax won’t budge, run the container under warm water until the wax softens. Scrape it as best as you can but don’t expect to be able to get every last bit of wax out in this step. What you can’t scrape, the warm soapy water in the next step will help take care of.
- Wash with Warm Soapy Water
Wipe your glass with a paper towel to get any last bit of wax possible. Get the water comfortably warm and using soap and a soft sponge wash the glass. Peel off any stickers that might be on the glass.
- Dry and Repurpose
Carefully dry your glass and check to make sure it’s thoroughly clean. Once it’s clean and dry you can repurpose it or display it somewhere in your house!
Ideas for Repurposing Vintage Glassware
One of our favorite aspects of the Antique Glass Candle Collection is its ability to be repurposed in a number of fun and inventive ways around the home. We want to help inspire you with different ways the glass is repurposed around the home for organization, decorating, storage, and entertaining.
Fill with Candle Wax
Our candle refill kit was initially designed to allow people to refill their Outer Banks Candle Company vintage & antique candles, it also allows you to turn any piece of vintage glassware into a candle! It’s perfect for inherited or gifted antique serving dishes, tea cups, chalices, coffee mugs, and more!
Use our instructions on how to use our candle refill kits to fill up vintage glass you have sitting around!
-
Candle Refill Kits$24.95
Organizing with Vintage Glass
Smaller antique glass can be repurposed to help organize key areas of your home that tend to collect clutter.
Bedroom Organization
Use your vintage glass to hold jewelry while you sleep or collect change from your pocket.
Bathroom Organization
You can use your repurposed vintage candle to keep everyday items accessible in a trendy way. Q-tips, hair ties, cotton rounds, bobby pins, flossers, etc. are all perfect for keeping in antique glass on your bathroom countertop.
Entryway or Office
You can use your repurposed vintage glass in your entryway or office to collect change and keys or as a general catch-all. I specifically like to use tiny vases as a desktop accessory, but they also can hold paper clips or writing utensils.
Decorating with Vintage Glass
We love using our collection of vintage glass to create colorful decor and often seasonal display around the house. They add a great whimsical character to any room!
China Cabinet Display
If you have a large enough collection of glass it would be a great idea to invest in a china cabinet for your display. We use our china cabinet for everyday glassware, special inherited pieces, and any pieces we find antique hunting that we just have to keep (there are always a few that find their way to the china cabinet instead of becoming candles!)
Holiday Decor
Our seasonal antique candle launches lend themselves well to helping you decorate for the holidays. We do seasonal antique launches for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
Each launch has a unique collection of colors, designs, styles, and ANIMALS! Once they are done being displayed as a candle, these pieces can continue to be part of your holiday decorations for years to come and will hopefully be passed on for many after.
Even if you do not have any vintage glassware to decorate with, you can use our Mason Jars to make a DIY snowglobe or decorate your mantel for the holidays!
Plants
Some antique glassware can serve as a small planter for plants that don’t need a lot of drainage or water. Succulents are the perfect plants to put into these smaller jars and bowls.
We also offer Vintage Planter Candles in the spring that can be used for larger plants and offer the proper amount of drainage for a variety of plants.
Hosting and Entertaining with Vintage Glass
One of our absolute favorite ways to repurpose vintage and antique glassware is to host a party!
Dinner Parties
Whether a seasonal get-together or just a gathering of friends, your antique and vintage glassware is sure to elevate your tablescape. Imagine your table scattered with beautiful colors and fun animals.
Glassware with lids is especially beneficial when serving warm food or keeping young hands out before it’s time to eat. We also have antique glass candles that serve a more functional purpose like the juicer!
Brunch, Bridal Showers, and Babies!
The adorable pastels and sweet animals in our Easter Antique collections make a beautiful table display for your next Easter brunch, Mother’s Day luncheon, baby, or bridal shower. Vintage glass can hold all sorts of hand snacks like peanuts and candies while the larger dishes can hold fresh fruit, dips, and crackers.
Children’s Tea Party
One of the most unique (and cutest!) ways we’ve seen our Antique and Vintage Glass candles repurposed is for a kid’s tea party! The kids had a great time drinking from fancy glass and the adults couldn’t stop talking about what a great idea it was!
Finger foods and (caffeine-free) tea were sprinkled along the table using vintage glassware. We would definitely love to see this idea used again.
Reusing Your Vintage Glass Candle
Antique and Vintage Glass Candles are two gifts in one: a delicious-smelling candle and a piece of glassware to be used in your home for years to come.
We hope when purchasing your next Antique or Vintage candle from one of our launches, you’ll buy it with your repurposing intention clear in your head. Just like we do when we turn vintage glass into our handmade candles!
If you happen to snap pictures of your glassware on display or in use we would LOVE to see them!
Be sure to sign up for the Candle Fam newsletter to receive a notification when our next Vintage Glass Collection drops and get 10% off your next order!
Kimber Smith is the creative founder of The Outer Banks Candle Company. With a degree in art, she has dabbled in many art forms from oil painting to calligraphy to furniture refinishing. And when she’s not busy making candles or managing the high energy (chaos) of life with five kids, she enjoys writing about the journey of it all!
