Olive Oil Candles Tutorial
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Ever wanted to create your own candles at home but don’t have any wax? This tutorial for Olive Oil Candles is a fun project.
Olive Oil Candles
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 you can put together with things you already have lying around the kitchen (besides the wick, but I’d recommend keeping that as a regular stockpiled item anyways!)
There were many times when we lost power at our house. One time, in particular, was in the middle of a very, very cold blizzarding night. (I can’t remember the exact temperature, but I know it was negative something!) The power lines must have had ice on them, and just like that, the house went pitch black. All we could see with was the light from the wood stove which was in the living room. If I wanted to go to other areas of the house, I would need some light and of course, it was too dark for me to find my box of candles!
The living room was connected to the kitchen so I could see a few things in there. I gathered a few supplies and created this little candle for extra light to place in the other rooms as needed. For the next time, I will be sure to have some lantern wick on hand to help it burn brighter and to make more of an olive oil lamp. You can make an Olive Oil Candle too! Just follow the easy picture instructions below and you will be on your way to lighting up the darkness. 🙂
If you love projects like this one, you might also enjoy my book Little House Living: The Make Your Own Guide to a Frugal, Simple, Self Sufficient Life which is filled with over 130 mix and DIY recipes and projects!
Why Olive Oil Candles?
Olive Oil Candles are much quicker to make than a wax candle so they are good to be able to make in an emergency.
You also don’t need nearly as many supplies to make Olive Oil candles as you would need to make another type of candle. No double boiler, no molds, just a few household staples.
Olive Oil Candles also create a special effect that you just don’t get from regular wax candles. The beautiful glow of the oil candle is so soothing.
What Are the Benefits of Olive Oil Candles?
These candles contain no harmful chemicals (as long as your oil is clean) and they have a high smoke point so they do not pollute your environment as a typical store-bought candle can.
Are Olive Oil Candles Safe?
As long as they are put on a flat, sturdy surface and out of reach of little hands, Olive Oil Candles are just as safe as any other candle. Never leave any candle burning unattended if you leave the room or the house.
What You Need to Make DIY Oil Candles
- Wide Mouth Jar
- Olive Oil
- Thin Gauge Wire or Paper Clip
- #2 Candle Wicks or 1/4 Lantern Wick
Depending on how long you want your candle to burn, you can pick different thicknesses of the wick. The one I used here is the one I had on hand but I think next time I will get some thicker wick or even lantern wick so it provides light and burns longer.
I would go with at least a #2 wick if you choose the smaller, more candle-like flame.
Or, if you are going for more light, you may want to pick up a lantern-width wick.
How to Make Olive Oil Candles
Cut the wick a couple of 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 not so tight that you can’t move it up when needed.
If you use Thin Gauge Wire instead of a paper clip, you may need to cut to length with wire cutters.
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 up the wick to burn. The wire needs to help the wick float on the candle’s surface in the middle of the jar.
Add your olive oil and that’s it! To save money on olive oil, you could buy expired oils from surplus stores. Although these candles burn for a long time on a small amount of oil so they are generally more inexpensive than regular waxed candles anyway.
The fantastic thing about this candle/lantern is that olive oil burns clean and doesn’t smoke.
Other Oils to Use for Candles
There are a few other common oils and ingredients that can be used for candles as well if you don’t want to use olive oil. These oils also have a high smoke point and should work for making Oil Candles. Do not use plain “vegetable oil” unless you know what it’s made of.
- Sunflower Oil
- Canola Oil
- Light Olive Oil
How to Make Scented Olive Oil Candles
If you want to add a fragrance, add your favorite candle scents (fragrance oil) or essential oils to scent these easy-to-make Olive Oil Candles. You could even add dried herbs to the candle for a natural scent!
If you are looking for a wonderful source of essential oils, I highly recommend Rocky Mountain Oils. After carefully considering all the companies selling essential oils, I’m happy to share that Rocky Mountain Oils has become my primary source of oils for many reasons.
How to Decorate Your Oil Candles
With the see-through liquid of the oil, it gives you more of an opportunity to decorate your candle with simple household items, unlike the solid colors of a regular candle. Here are some ideas on decorative elements that you can add to your jar to make these candles more aesthetically pleasing.
- Clean pebbles or small rocks
- Glass beads
- Fresh Herbs/Dried Herbs
- Sliced Citrus
Jars for Olive Oil Candles
I personally used these squatty style half-pint jars. They held a good amount of oil but were easy to create the candle in (and pull the wick up). You do not need the lids unless you plan on setting your candles aside and burning them later.
You can use any kind of wide mouth mason jars that will allow you to reach the wick. This is why the shorter jars are best for oil-based candles. Glass bottles are too tall.
More Candle Projects
- How to Make Beeswax Candles
- How to Scent Candles with Spices for Fall
- Homemade Teacup Candles
- Soy Candles; How to Make Homemade Candles with Soy Wax
- Punched Tin Candle Holders
- Simple Button Lamp Project
Find more articles about stockpiling and food storage to work on your preparedness resources!
Looking for more fun DIY projects that you can make quickly and easily? My book, Little House Living: The Make Your Own Guide to a Frugal, Simple, and Self Sufficient Life has over 130 recipes and DIY projects just like this one!
Please be sure to check out my Making the Most page to find even more craft and preparedness articles!
This post on Olive Oil Candles was originally published on Little House Living in January 2012. It has been updated as of February 2023.
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!
I save meat grease to use in candles, that is the ones that I don’t want to use in seasoning green beans, etc. keep it in the fridge tho, until you are ready to use it
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.
I like this idea as well being able to use up the old oil . I also like the idea of being able to use the good oil (not out dated ) that I bought and don’t like the taste of . 🙂 thank you for the great 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!
So, are we to use a Large Paperclip then, (the really long office ones)?
That’s what I used for this, yes.
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!
hi donna can you tell me how you would use the old tshirts a wicks.
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!
We have also poked a hole in top of a jar, and tried a wick and a cotton shirt. Can’t seem to keep it to stay lit. What are we missing
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.
Hi all, this is the best way to do this, i have found. I tried the paperclip, very fiddly but the one inch or so strip of silver paper with a small hole in it to hold the wick is a great idea. I let the silver paper ‘dip’ in the middle towards the wick and its really easy to pull the wick up with a pair of tweezers or even carefully with small scissors. I have added essential oils to stop the little bit of an oily smell. Thanks for this awesome idea and it looks really nice, glass, oil, bit of water and silver paper
sorry, meant to say one inch or so WIDE strip of silver paper, duh
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.
Can you add scented oils in the candle in the oil and how long does the wick last?I
Thanks so much.
The wick will depend on how thick of a wick you get and how long of a rope. Yes, you can add any scents to these as desired!
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.
I don’t understand how you use a paper clip to get the wick to stand up?
Wrap the wick around the paper clip and it will help keep it out of the oil while the candle is burning.
hi there just happened upon your site and am fascinated! i love this idea and all that your site has to offer thanks so much! 🙂 have a great day! p.s. am also a newby 🙂
Welcome!
I was wondering about the length of the wick, does it just have to be a couple inches or can you have more? I was thinking that if it is longer, you would be able to burn longer and just add more oil as needed.
You can make it as long as you wish and replace it as needed.
Was wondering about storage…would love to give these as Xmas gifts and wondered if you add bees wax would it solidify enough to make a traditional candle (easier to transport!)
I haven’t tried this so I’m not sure but if you do try it let us know!
Wondering if olive oil would work instead of kerosene in a standard kerosene lamp. Anybody try this?
You ladies are an inspiration!!! Thank you for the ideas!
How do you wind up the wick as it burns down? Looks like it would burn and fall thru..thx a million..Luv this idea 🙂
I just pull it up after it burns down.
Thank you so much for this great idea & great Blog/website. I am new to LHOPL–love it! My family enjoyed watching our new oil lamp burn while we ate dinner tonight. So my question is when you say ‘pull it up after it burns down…’ Do you mean that the blackened wick is burned all the way down to the oil? Or just black? Thank you–thank you!
I kind of push it up through the hole again once it’s burned down to the paper clip.
Thanks!
Another reason to use the water on bottom and oil on top method is…. If you are like me and forget to blow it out the water will snuff the wick keeping it away from the glass. (if you are using something like a baby food jar that might shatter)
I have shattered more glass ash trays and such by the candle burning all the way down.
There is a reason I like the flameless candles. LOL
Anyways you do it, it’s always good to be prepared.
Once my sister was making one of these candles during an emergency and she didn’t have any thread or a wick so she used the string from a feminine hygine product……..necessity is the mother of invention 🙂
I don’t mean to sound silly, but that being said, I am not a crafty domestic person….I am a klutz, to tell you the truth!! Honestly! I am concerned that filling the jar with olive oil once you have finished the project that if you spill it will the oil just ooze out? You know like milk being spilt out of the carton? Or does it solidofy somehow? I would love to make some for Christmas gifts, could I add like ground peepermint candy for looks with some pe[[ermint oil of fragrance?
Thanks for your help in advance.
The oil does not solidify since we aren’t adding anything to it in this recipe, for that you would have to make a hard candle like Beeswax Candles or Soy Candles. I’m not sure about adding peppermint candy. I think that may add a little bit of a look but it won’t really add fragrance, peppermint oil would be better for that.
I tried making an olive oil candle and followed your instructions to the letter – same jar, same candle wick, etc. And my wick keeps burning out after about 30 seconds. What am I doing wrong? 🙁
You may need to get a thicker wick if it’s burning through it too fast.
Got a question. Couldn’t you use the jar lid, poke a hole from the underside and feed the wick through the hole. The slightly jagged edge in the topside would hold the wick in place–no need for the paperclip. Put the oil in the jar and screw the lid on. Now it is less of a hazard because the oil can’t splash out if bumped. Of course, you would want the wick to be saturated before lighting it, I would guess.
Yes you could do that too! The only problem would be when the wick got down to the jar it would burn out right away.
I’m curious as to how long the candle will burn before you have to pull the wick up? I take it you blow the candle out to pull the wick up?
– Jessica
So I’ve been working based on this and some other articles online to make a scented oil candle. I’ve actually found that even this is more complicated than it needs to be. Two simplifications that can be done (although of course this is already an excellent olive oil candle!):
You can use simple cotton twine or strips of old rags as a wick. Simply twist them up (or twist and fold for twine, since it’s thin) until it’s thick enough.
The other thing is that if you use a wide, shallow dish, even the wire holder is unnecessary. Simply lay the wick in the dish so that it pokes up above the oil and set it alight. The advantage of this is that it runs longer without lowering the oil so much, and if you do need to adjust the wick or oil, you can use your fingers (nothing gets hot except for the flame).
I found the shallow dish method is excellent for mixing with essential oils since you need less oil to burn (you don’t need to fill a jar), so you can get a higher concentration of essential oil with less oil.
This is great! But it’s way more hassle than making an orange candle/lamp. It’s not only gorgeous but it lasts long too, and ofcourse smells nice once added essential oils. Google or youtube it, peops! ^_~ Nice and cozy page btw! 🙂
Just be careful the metal clip does not touch the bottom of the jar, otherwise it could get hot and break the jar .
If you are using a canning jar (made for hot temps) this shouldn’t be an issue.
Could you use real lemons sliced up in the oil for the scent or real fruit or spices? I really enjoy your site.
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why you couldn’t. Let us know if it works!
Years ago there was a candle that use this concept called THE UNCANDLE. It had a disk, a inch hard wick, and a glass. You filled it almost full with water then you poured cooking oil (any kind or brand). I still have my set and I love them. I believe you can add essential oil to make any scent you would like.
I needed a candle tonight for the WW1 lights out memorial. I didn’t have one, but a quick google found this site! 5 minutes later (using green garden string for a wick) I now have a candle burning away.
I love this but is it safe? Thanks.
Just like any candle it should be placed on a flat surface.
I can’t wait to get home and make some of these!!!!! I LOVE candles!!!!
This is a fantastic idea. Just shared it on my facebook page 🙂
thank’s very much
Great idea for making candles. I have one that I bought that is really ingenious from Alazar lamps but I like the idea of being able to make my own.
I can’t wait to experiment! Thanks for the tips! I may put this on my facebook page with a link back to you. Do YOU have a facebook page?
awesome tips! thanks for sharing! I was trying to find out if I could add oil to wax to make my candles cheaper without wasting supplies lol thanks for sharing this info and I love the page name 🙂
My wick doesn’t stay lit? I have 24 ply wick material and olive oil in a small mason jar. I have a paper clip bent to hold the wick fairly close to the top of the oil. I have dipped the wick into the oil first. It burns to the top of the paper clip and then goes out. Thoughts? Is it the oil? (Extra virgin, not expired.)
Like a lantern you will need to pull the wick up as it burns down. I usually let it burn til there is just a small amount over the paper clip, blow it out, pull it up with a tweezer, and light again.
It burns down and goes out in less than a minute.
Do you know what size wick you are using? It shouldn’t be burning that quickly and the only other thingg I can think of is that the wick might be too small.
It says 24-ply on the spool. Thanks for your help. I am really perplexed!
Here is some info on the different wicks: https://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/library/candlewicks.asp I would say to get something in the thick to extra thick range for this type of candle, maybe even a small lantern wick.
I recieved an oil candle for xmas, any ideas why the wick burns up in less than a minute? It just won’t stay burning.
Hello I wanted to try this out because I love everything all natural, but i was wondering could you also use the wooden wick as well?
I haven’t tried a wooden wick, just cotton, so I’m not sure. If you try it please let us know!
The only thing I worry about with this is I accidently one time burned my house down from leaving oil on the stove. The oil catching on fire is what destroyed my house as oil is like fertilizer for a fire. What if the fire went in the oil.. is there a chance of a full blow fire occurring fertilized with oil?
When burning any kind of candle there is always going to be a chance for fire. Make sure that you are using a jar that can be heated and that it’s placed on a flat, wide surface like a countertop or table, away from anything that could catch fire. And always keep flour or baking soda nearby if you would ever need to douse the flames.
Who knew you can even use olive oil for making candles? :)That was a really interesting read, now I really want to try this out. Is other kinds of oils also good for this?
I was wondering whether using the lid with a hole for the wick as a useful safety addition be a detraction or not.
Good morning ! I found your site when I Googled,asking about the safety of using glass. I’m using unscented oil, with a wick that has a metal disc base, surrounded with small river rocks. I’ve gone to the Dollar Store and thrift shops for glass containers with weighted bases. Now I’m concerned about the glass and if it can withstand the heat. I would like to use something other than Mason Jars. Any suggestions? Thanks for the olive oil suggestion!
Linda
Great ideas for making Candle. Thanks for sharing.
This is great information – thanks so much for taking the time to share!
So is there a benefit of using olive oil. It sounds like a great idea. And we are always looking for novel candle ideas. So I’m curious to know a little more.
Hi i’m Ali from Iran i just wanna tell you THAN YOU So Much for your useful website.
You are so welcome Ali! Always glad when I can help 🙂
Olive oil candles are very beautiful way to make your home lighten and the way you make this olive oil candle is amazing.
Is there a trick to keep the wick lit? Mine doesn’t seem to go for more than 40 minutes or so, otherwise this is a great way to make a inexpensive candle.
You may need to get a thicker wick if it’s burning through it too fast. You could even go up to a lantern wick since this is similar.
What a great alternative to burning expensive candles and I like that it burns slow. Thanks, Merissa.
I have oil lamps and candles but a prolonged power outage I would need more. These candles would be great .
Do you know if we make an herbal infused olive oil if it would burn with that smell? I’m having a hard time seeing how placing dried herbs in it would have the same effect. You are essentially making an infused oil with the dried herb correct?
I love the simplicity and elegance of olive oil candles, and your tutorial has made it accessible for everyone. It’s a wonderful alternative to conventional candles. Thank you for sharing this creative idea.