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It's a good idea to be able to know how to create your own light sources in case you ever need them. This is a simple candle that you can put together with things that you already have laying around the kitchen (besides the wick, but I'd recommend keeping that as a regular stockpiled item anyways!)
What you need:
- Jar
- Olive Oil
- Wire or Paper Clip
- Wick
Depending on how long you want your candle to burn you can pick different thicknesses of wick. The one I used here is the one I had on hand but I think for next time I will get some thicker wick or even lantern wick so it provides for light and burns longer.
Cut the wick a couple inches long. Wrap part of the wire or paper clip wire around one end of the wick. Wrap it tight enough that the wick can't fall down but no so tight that you can't move the wick up when you need to.
Bend the wire so it hooks onto the side of the jar.
Here's a close up of the wick in the middle. You don't want too much sticking above the oil because it needs to be able to soak the oil all the way up the wick to burn.
Add your olive oil and that's it! To save money on olive oil you could buy the expired oils from surplus stores.
The awesome thing about this candle/lantern is that olive oil burns clean and doesn't smoke. You can make these lanterns in any size of jar that you have on hand (the one I used here is a half pint). You may want to stick with a wide mouth jar though to make it easier to fix the wick when you need to. Also, if you want them to be scented you could just add essential oils (or even dried or fresh herbs!) right to the oil.
Find more articles about stockpiling and food storage to work on your preparedness resources!
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{ 116 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this! We are constantly losing power here in the winter {LOVE those ice storms. (eyeroll)}–and this would be perfect. I guess there is a use for all that expired olive oil at the discount grocer!
Out of curiosity, could you do this with any kind of oil? Maybe palm oil, coconut oil, etc.? I used to make soap, and still have a lot of different oils on hand!
shoo! needed this today
its soooo windy over here in ohio, we may loose power! :/
Angie, you could try them and see how they work. The oil that you use though should be in a liquid form. Also note that some other oils may produce smoke whereas olive oil won’t.
Grat idea! Question though, is there another oil that you can substitute with instead of using olive oil? Was just curious.
You could try another liquid oil but it may not burn as clean and might smoke.
Thanks.
Will have to give this a try!
Thanks This is so cool!
Awesome tip! Thanks for sharing!
i found out using a “squatter” jar worked better than than pint…then i really began to like the candle…
What a clever idea … I love this … and the finished product is so pretty! Thanks for sharing!
thank you for sharing this – pretty, useful, easy, and cheap!
I love this! A lot of my Amish friends make homemade candles out of lard, but this is a healthier option (lol…not that you’re going to eat the candle), but I love the simple formulation of this…thanks for sharing it!
I’m sorry I’m interupting, but is this THE Kevin, publisher for the Eicher family? If so, thanks for such wonderful, uplifting books!
Lol, this made me laugh!
All right, I just checked…it IS the Kevin. Just got 2 new books for Christmas, actually. Merissa, absolutely Love your website, I’m so glad I stumbled onto it, it’s now in my Favorites column. And I’m glad I could make you laugh, we don’t do enough of that!
Welcome Rhoda! I’m glad you came across the site and are loving it so far!
For a wick you can take a length of cotton yarn 2 x’s the size of desired wick, hold each end of yarn with one end in each of your hands, twist until yarn starts to wind and curl over self (wound tight for the full length of the string), grab the center of your string with your teeth and place two ends of string together, hold with one hand, let go of yarn with teeth. Yarn will wind around itself and make a great wick.
Looking forward to trying it out!
just started reading your site and I am really enjoying it. I can’t wait to try this candle. I’ve always been thrifty but I have been trying more organic , healthy choices. I and my husband were both raised small town country but are now living in the city out of necessity. We’re finding it to be a challenge in many ways but really convenient in others. love your site.
I’m going to have to try this – thanks for sharing….
I LOVE this! Reminds me of Ma’s button lamp in the LHOTP books. I’ve been experimenting with candles…would love to try this with essential oils!
What a great idea!
My first visit to your site…I’ll be back! I’d love to use this idea on my site, if you don’t mind.
Well welcome! Yes you are welcome to use the idea as long as you link back:)
what is a squatter jar
It’s not a regular tall jar. They are fatter and lower than a regular jar.
Can any small to med jar be used
Yes, however jars that can take the heat (like canning jars) work well because they shouldn’t break if they heat up a bit.
I love this! I don’t always use my olive oil up before it “turns” and hate to just throw it out even though I’ll never cook with it again (especially the time I bought the huge bottle from Sam’s Club). Thank you for this fabulous idea.
Awesome! I can’t wait to try this, but I’m a little confused about the wire. Do you leave it in and hooked onto the jar all the time, and does the wire go to the bottom of the jar? I can’t tell in the pictures, and the instructions don’t say. Any help? Please and thank you.
Yes I leave it in the jar all the time. The wire does curve around the wick and all the way to the bottom so it holds the wick up a little better. Hope that helps!
Would a regular store-bought wick work, or would the wick just droop into the oil? I would like to be able to screw the lid on when the candle is not in use. What do you do about that – the possibility of spillage, etc.?
Yes, I use regular wick for this and a screw on lid should work just fine:)
I’m going to check these out!
Interesting idea.
This is so neat, gives me ideas, and I will use this
I used to make these when I was a pre-teen. I think my first ones were in those tiny baby food jars. I had one glass shatter, spilling oil everywhere, so I always put a flame resistant or heat resistant bowl or tray under my oil candles. They were really pretty when I had several little candles in a tray with polished stones all around! I also used melted wax, from a standard candle to “tack” my wick to the bottom of the container, and if I couldn’t find a candle, I’d tie the wick to one of my dad’s heavy washers! It would sit on the bottom, keeping the wick straight and on the bottom!
I love the idea. Olive oil was used for lamps in the Tabernacle from the Old Testament! But I’m thinking that burning out of date oil may not be a good idea. Out of date oil can be rancid and rancid oil is very unhealthy and dangerous. Even if it is not ingested I’m wondering if the toxins in the oil will be released into the air by burning the oil and then breathed in. Perhaps burning the oil will illiminate the toxins but I don’t know. Does anyone have any insight?
I wouldn’t use rancid oil, but out of date oil could still be used for quite a while before it goes rancid.
Actually i use half water half olive oil just have to make sure the wick doesn’ t go all the way down in the water
Merissa, can you tell me how the #’s on the wicks work? Looking at Amazon you can get all the way from #1 to 24. Which is the smaller/larger?
Blessings.
Have you tried adding essential oils for scenting?
I use strips of old 100% cotton t-shirts as wicks for these candles. They work great and it’s a good way to reuse old shirts. They must be all cotton though.
What an awesome idea! Thanks for this tip, I have a bunch of old t-shirts just hanging around waiting to be used as rags!
I remember when you could BUY kits to do this with…probably still can. Instructions in the kits were to fill the bottom of the container with WATER and then add oil…which floats to the top…so it requires less oil.
Then too…there is the tuna can version. Just punch a nail thru the center/top of a full can of tuna packed in oil and insert your wick.
does that make your house smell like tuna?
You can also wrap the wick around a pencil.
I just made these!! I used the little Ball jars…found them in a national home improvement store–4 jars for less than $5!! I, however, punched a hole in the lid and threaded my wick through. I figured that this is how an oil lamp works, so why not? What a wonderful and inexpensive way to add ambience to my back porch!!
Add a little lemon oil and it will make a great bug repellent candle too!
Do you think adding some aromic oils to the olive oil would make it scented as it burned? I have some rose oil, gardenia, plumeria, jasmine, lavendar and orange blossom.
Is there any way you can remove the comments from your page when we print? Would love to have this idea in my survival book…plus make some up…but if I print off as is, will get several pages of comments and unnecessary items. :/
Thanks a bunch!
When you print the page, choose only page one and/or two to print. Or you can highlight the info you want and paste it in a Word document and edit then print.
I came across a website called printwhat you like.com and just follow their instructions for deleting what you do not want to print. Saves on paper and ink.
Wonderful idea!! I am doing this!! Thank you!
Such a cute idea! And much prettier than normal candles
Will you have to keep pulling the wick up thru the paperclip hook??
Yes, as it burns down.
I shared your Olive Oil Candle recipe on my FB (Fruit and Veggie Garden) page. And directed attention to your web page as well. You have a truly awesome site. I love the way you have it set up, very eye pleasing and easy to use. I love it when there is a page to go to for more than one purpose! Thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Can You use essential oils for scent?
Yes you could!
You mentioned using larger wicks, so this could be used in a lantern instead of the lantern oils that smoke & smell terrible.
Hi,
I don’t see how the paperclip is folded. I see one more person with the same question, but I still do not know from the answer
Could you tell me how to fold the paperclip? Thanks!
I didn’t really have a method to my madness, just folded it so it “latched” onto the side of the jar and made a circle on the other end to hold onto the wick.
Thanks for the swift reply! I will just try and create some ingenious plan for it
Will this also work for a heated candle crock,or dish( without the wick of course?
Since it’s unscented it wouldn’t do much but if you did the essential oil/herb version it might work fine.
This is just spectacular! Genius!! Gonna pin this strait away!
Great tutorial & special thanks for the printable version with delete options (my printer ink budget thnx u!). Happy Trails!
My religion, Hinduism, says that sharing of knowledge is the biggest good work that one can do. And you article does just that.
Thanks for the lovely idea.
We in India have always burned exactly the same kinda lamps with almost all types of oils. But I never got the idea of adding scented oils in that.
Would certainly try this out.
Thanks for sharing, this little act of sharing bonds people together into one big family.
God bless.
You can also use a strip of foil to hold the wick, make sure it is longer than the jar is wide and long enough to dip down a bit, make a slit in the middle and thread the wick through, they use this technique in Haiti with bowls of oil for lighting.
How cool is that! Where can I buy wick?
Barbara I buy mine from Hobby Lobby or you can also buy it online from Amazon.
Where did you get those adorable jars?! Great idea. Trying it.
I think I bought them at Menards. Craft supply stores also have cute ones.
What’s a ‘squatter’ jar? Great suggestions here. I was wondering about other oils too and might just experiment.
I read that the wick wire should Not be galvanized metal. The metal has zinc in its coating and that possibly releases toxic fumes. I have not confirmed but thought I should share.
Great idea,natural and economical.I did something like this when i usedto live in Malaysia,(about seven years back)with chinese red coloured oil,that was some kind of vegetable oil,but i poured water,half way up into a goblet,and topped it up with the oil,the oil was bright red coloured,adding water makes the oil float on top of it and makes the whole thing look so pretty!i got some ready made s all size wicks,attatched to all circular,flat corks,u just put one in the oil and it floats. Because of the cork underneath.i would suggest checking out your near by chinese temple if you want to make one of those,since i got my supplies from there.
Will fish through old pics to show u guys.
i made these but am quite frustrated. i am having problems with the light going out or becoming very tiny a few seconds after it is lit. any ideas on what i may be doing wrong? thanks so much for your help!
nancy
Did you happen to get olive oil on the tip of the wick? I know that it does that for me sometimes when I accidentaly dip the wick in the oil instead of just letting it soak it up.
Do you think the flavored oils they have in the dollar stores would work for a variety of scents in the olive oil.
No info. on them when I check them out the other day, but I believe they are probably for those little oil burners that you put a tea light candle under.
Thanks and really love this idea!
Helen Fritzie
I haven’t tried them so I’m not sure, any candle scents *should* work ok though!
This is a great idea!
I have pinned this to my Board in Pinterest …
Thank You! : )
Thank you for sharing!
You can hot glue a natural treated wooden wick to the bottom of the jar for an easier sturdy method.
So do these olive oil candles last longer than your regular wax candles?
No, I’d say they burn a similar length of time to a normal candle.
I’ve always wondered, when you burn a candle, where does the wax go? Is it in my carpets, drapes, and furniture? I’ve burned a lot of candles in my lifetime.
Hi, thanks so much for this info. My daughter and I are allergic to any form of sulfur. She also has asthma. We have never been able to be around candles. We love candlelight. We are going to get the supplies tomorrow for this. Thanks again. Love It. BTW I just found your site from FB – Herbs & Oils World – Little House On The Prairie Living. It does pay to follow links.
Big questions here…. How do I know when my olive oil has “turned” gone bad? Second could this type of oil or any type of cooking oil be used in a oil lamp? I ask because most that you buy, even unscented give me a headache. Third Q, where do you get the wicks from, is this an online buy, or walmart? hugs
The olive oil will get something of an “off” taste to it, then you know it’s gone bad. I would stick only with olive oil because it won’t smoke, other oils will. I buy wicks either from Amazon or my local Hobby Lobby.
Rancid oil actually works better! It does not smell when burned. The cheapest olive oil works best, that is olive pomace oil.
You can make wick using cotton butcher string. Soak it in white vinegar, rinse, then soak it in a solution of 1 cup water with 1 tablespoon salt and 2 tablespoons boric acid or laundry boraxo and let dry
Olive oil is often too expensive for me, are there any other less expensive alternatives that would work just as well?
This really should only be done with olive oil, other oils will smoke since they can’t withstand as high a heat.
Instead of a wick hole in the top of a lid you can also lay the wicks end on the scallop edge of a shell and the other end touching the inner middle base of the inside depression of the scalloped shell …so the shells depression holds the oil and the wick would lay over the side nestled between a scallop. Making sure that the oil stays within the depression area and does not flow past the scalloped depression and past the total wick of course too. Anyway you go I hope this makes sense! I can better explain hands on than typing crafts steps out :/ Anyways same concept its a vessel of oil and a means to suspend the wicks top above the oils while containing the oil inside the vessel. Lots of possibilities to get creative with this just remember your fire safety as you would with a store bought candle.
Really liked the idea of being able to have a source of light on hand when electricity goes out. Thank you
This is so fantastic! I am going to make these up for my wedding as either gifts or maybe table decor. Thank you so much!
I am always looking for cheaper ways of doing things that I enjoy. I love candles that have a beautiful smell and this I know I will love. I found this page on Facebook. Thank you and have a groovy day.
Hi ,I use clarified butter and it doesn’t expired and some times i use mustard oil or any vegetable oil and it works great..For wick i use cotton balls which I buy from Shoppers Drug Mart.
What a great idea!!! Although, I would NEVER use dried herbs, they would catch on fire
I have actually made and sold beeswax and soy candles, but this would be a great way to save some $$.
Another way of doing this is with those floating plastic discs that you put in a glass. They normally come with wicks and you mainly use water, with about a half-inch layer of vegetable oil floating on top. I used to use olive oil in them all the time. But you can also clip off the bottom of the little “nib”that holds the wicks so that you can run a longer piece of wick through. It would hang down into the oil, and you can skip the water. You can find these at stores like Hobby Lobby or online.
Is there any way to make them scented?
You can always add essential oils.
I really enjoy your blog and have learned a lot from you. This post is great! It reminded me of one i posted on my own blog, almost 3 years ago, that I had forgotten about.
I made an oil lamp using a soda can, cooking oil, and a sock!
http://cottoncandydreamsjewelery.blogspot.com/2010/07/emergency-oil-lamp.html
I really haven’t blogged much lately, as I have been delving into my new obsession- making jewelry! But I am feeling a blogging itch again…..
Thanks for all the great posts!
I am thinking this would be great with some thieves oil or other essential oil that diffuses the air. In MN, we are closed for 5-6 months and need a good way to clean the air. You would need to be careful to only use pure essential oils, preferably organic, like from rocky mountain or young living.
After tea lite candles have burned out, could you reuse the wick holders for these?
Thank you for the great tutoral. I didn’t know that you could use olive oil. I should’ve known but now I do. Thank you again.
Consider yourself hugged,
http://simpleesue.com/try-one-new-recipe-a-week-butterscotch-apple-fluff/
Great idea! I know many candles on the market, even pricey ones have proven to be very toxic to indoor air. I was happy to stumble upon this. I will definitely be giving it a try.
I just found your blog through A Bowl Full of Lemons. I can’t wait to try these!
We are somewhat rural, and I have started an emergency lighting kit, to help us prepare for power outages.
~Linda
http://www.lindalmartin.com
http://www.ernestmartinjr.com
I love this, especially since it is a clean burning candle. I would like to try it with my summer herbs and must stock up on some wick as you suggest. I have never bought any before, but will put it on my “to buy” list. Pinning this clever idea!
this is a great idea… how did you happen to find this out? trial and error is always interesting but I was just wondering if you have another source… or is it a secret?
btw, I sent you an email about a month ago about helping fund your blog, nothing big but wanted to help since I love your blog and ideas so much.
I think I saw an idea from some old magazine about using olive olive in lamps and just expanded on that and had fun with it
Can you resend your email Rose? I’m not sure that I got it.
I love the fact that it doesn’t smoke! I wonder what the smell is like. Can you add an essential oil? Great idea! Thanks for linking up to Motivation Monday!
Has anyone tried Vegetable Oil or Canola (Wesson) Oil? I have these giant jugs of them at home which have expired… at least they can be used if this works.
Thanks in advance…
I would not recommend vegetable oil since it will smoke.
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