These candles have a fresh, citrus scent that reminds us of camping and the outdoors, and their dancing flame provides a great atmosphere for your summer patio. Use soy wax and citronella essential oil to create an outdoor candle that keeps the bugs away and looks great in the backyard!
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Helpful Tips:
Do citronella candles help against mosquitoes?
Citronella does help against mosquitoes, though it may not be as effective as some of the bug sprays on the market. Essential oils, like citronella, help to mask scent, and the smoke from the candle helps as well. The closer you are to the candle, the more helpful it is. Think of citronella candles as one layer of protection against mosquitoes. They do help, but don’t count on them to completely deter those pesky bugs.
What kind of wax do you use for citronella candles?
We use soy wax to make our candles, which is a non-toxic wax that burns longer and cleaner than paraffin wax. It’s also the perfect wax to use for outdoor candles, since it’s water soluble and wax spills can easily be cleaned up. You can also make a mason jar citronella candle using lamp oil!
What container is best for citronella candles?
We used small metal buckets to make our citronella candles, which adds a rustic, outdoorsy vibe to the candle. Be careful with the buckets you choose – galvanized steel may not be watertight, meaning the wax can leak out. Test your bucket with water first and seal off any areas that might leak. A high temperature silicone sealer is a good option to make the bucket waterproof. Our buckets only had a tiny pinpoint hole at the bottom seam, so we simply melted a bit of wax and let it harden before pouring the rest of the candle. If you don’t want to deal with a possibly leaking bucket, you can also make your homemade candles in empty tin cans or glass mason jars.
Learn how to make citronella candles and use them outdoors as a chemical free way to keep the bugs away! These DIY citronella candles also make a great homemade gift for a summer BBQ or get-together.
Here’s even more DIY candle ideas:
Mason Jar Citronella Candles
Mason Jar Candles
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Candles
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