This Stunning Trick Turns An Old Coffee Mug Into A Natural Home Freshener

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What do you do with your chipped, faded, souvenir, or old coffee mugs? Chances are you either relegate them to a sad life in the back of a forgotten cabinet, or you trash them. This will hold especially true for tacky (remember the one with your face on it?) and re-gifted pieces. However, if you feel bad about treating them like this or want to get a better ROI (return on investment) on the money spent, turn them into fragrant homemade candles. Not only will they serve as a natural home freshener, but you'll also get a chance to reuse your old coffee mugs instead of getting rid of them.

To make your home smell amazing, you'll need a few of your old coffee mugs — just ensure they aren't leaky. In case one or two pieces have broken handles, glue them back on with a strong adhesive, like Loctite's Super Glue Liquid, and set them aside to cure. As for the others, give them a soapy water bath to dislodge accumulated dirt and dust. Then, let them air dry and get some wax.

Soy, such as American Soy Organics' Freedom Soy Wax Beads, is one the most popular options because it works great for DIY container candles, holds fragrances well, and doesn't let off a lot of soot. But if you want a budget-friendly alternative, gather all your half-burnt tea lights and old candles, and get ready to melt them. You'll also need a double boiler, your chosen fragrance source (essential or fragrance oils and spices are most common), a scale, and a meat thermometer. Also, get some wicks and wooden sticks or dowels to center them.

Fill a large pot halfway-through with water, place it on your stovetop, and let it simmer up on medium heat. Next, get a heat-resistant container and pour wax in it before submerging it inside the water-filled pot. Be gentle and ensure water doesn't mix with the melting wax. Don't forget to wear gloves, or your hands might feel greasy. The amount of wax you need to melt will depend on how many candles you plan on making and the capacity of your coffee mugs. In case this sounds like too much work, feel free to eyeball it.

But if you want perfect measurements, get a scale, fill one of your mugs with water up to your preferred level, and weigh it. Then, multiply its weight with the density of your chosen wax since it differs from water. In case the wax packet doesn't include this information, 0.85 is the general figure. Since you'll also be adding fragrant substances to each candle, account for them in your final calculation, too. For example, suppose a water-filled coffee mug weighs 10 ounces. Ideally, its wax weight will be 8.5 (10 x 0.85) ounces. From this number, subtract 10% (you can change this per your preferences) to leave room for aromatic oils and substances. So, your final wax weight will be 7.65 ounces (8.5 minus 0.85). Once you have the number, place a wick (or two) to the bottom of your coffee mugs, support it with dowels on either side, add a few drops of fragrant oils to the melted wax, and start pouring it in. Let the wax cure for at least three days and at best, two weeks.

One of the first tips is to learn your wax's melting and pouring temperatures. To illustrate, soy wax melts between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if you don't heat it up to 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit, the tiny wax particles won't beef up. And this will prevent them from bonding with the essential or fragrant oil molecules. Once you're done blending the two, turn the stove off and let the wax cool down to 130 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. This is soy wax's pouring temperature and adhering to this will give you smoother candle tops and minimize the chances of unsightly dips. So, keep a meat thermometer handy to monitor the temperature well.

Another tip is to use candle-specific fragrance, like P&J Trading's Fragrance Oil Set for Candle Making. This small change will give you more aromatic candles, both when it's lit and unlit. The scent will also spread out evenly and make your home smell heavenly. If you want your coffee mug candles to be au naturel, you can use spices, like rosemary, cinnamon, and clove, for a light fragrance. You can even add dried flowers to the mix. Get a few blooms from your garden and start drying them days prior to this DIY or buy dried florals from the best places to make this idea work. Want your coffee mug candle to remind you of your favorite brew? Use leftover coffee grounds and add them between layers of wax. That being said, stick to the corners of your mug or the grounds might ignite when you light the candle. Also, allowing your candle to cure with a lid on and for up to two weeks enhances the fragrance, whether lit or not.