Photo by Nassima Rothacker
Coffee is by far one of the greatest smells in the world to me. It is comforting, invigorating and makes me salivate just a little. It’s also fantastic for removing odors.
Makes 1–2 candles (depending on the size of your molds)
Ingredients
- 17 ounces (500 grams) soy wax or paraffin wax, chopped or grated
- 1–2 tablespoons ground coffee
- 1 teaspoon whole coffee beans, plus extra to decorate the top (optional – they tend to crackle and pop as they heat up, so you may prefer to leave them out)
- thermometer
- candle molds (anything from small glass jars, tins and pots)
- spray oil
- wicks
- hairdryer
Instructions
- If you are using a double boiler, get it set up. If you don’t have one, boil some water in a large saucepan, then turn the heat down so the water is barely simmering, and set a heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan (making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water underneath).
- Add the wax to the top of the double boiler or to the bowl and leave to melt, stirring every so often. Use a thermometer to ensure the temperature of the wax does not exceed 194 degrees Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius).
- Add the ground coffee and coffee beans (if using) and stir in. Remove from the heat once the coffee has been added and mixed so that it is evenly distributed. Set aside and quickly prep your molds.
- Insert a wick into your mold by tying the wick to a pencil and sitting it horizontally across the top of the mold so that the wick hangs vertically. Carefully pour in the wax to about 2 cm from the top, then leave to cool and set. The candle sometimes shrinks in the center as it cools, so once it has set you can add a little more melted wax if needed. Use a hair dryer to dispel any air bubbles or divots, and smooth the top.
- Sprinkle a few more coffee beans over the top. Cut off the wick and then leave each candle for at least 24 hours before lighting it.
More from The Art of Natural Cleaning:
Cover courtesy Kyle Books
Excerpted from The Art of Natural Cleaning by Rebecca Sullivan published by Kyle Books, 2018
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