Bring Life Back To Your Dusty Candles With This Simple Cleaning Hack

Candles are an inexpensive and classic home decor item that can help you replicate a spa-like atmosphere in your bathroom, build a warm and romantic vibe in your living and dining room, and indulge in an impromptu aromatherapy session at home through their beguiling scent. However, simply stocking the best candles at Walmart won't be enough to reap these benefits. You must also keep them spick and span to ensure they look good as new and burn for a longer duration. Thankfully, you can easily bring your dusty candles back to life using a nylon cloth like your old pantyhose.

Since wax is greasy by nature, it's an ideal surface for dust to settle on, making it challenging for your trusty duster to produce the desired results. This is where the nylon pantyhose comes in. Its snug fabric and microfiber consistency will gently remove the flimsy layer of dust from your wax lights without damaging them. Better yet, this simple cleaning hack won't cost you a dime or take up a lot of your time.

To clean your dusty candle with pantyhose, put it inside the cloth and gently move it around. This will allow the fabric to not only remove but also confine the offending dust particles. Keep repeating this process until all your candles look clean. Alternatively, you can slip the pantyhose over your hand and rub your covered fingers gently against the dusty areas to restore their shine. Remember, you must wipe the dirty candles in a single direction and not flit back and forth multiple times during the cleaning process.

If you're dealing with a thick layer of dust on your beloved candles, dampen the hose slightly with water and use it to wipe the surface. Once done, allow the moist candles to dry completely before burning them. Don't get discouraged if the candle doesn't begin shining after the first few passes, and also don't substitute water with rubbing alcohol to speed up the process — this liquid is flammable, and can lead to accidents. In case you don't have an old pair of pantyhose handy, you can substitute it with some tights or a clean microfiber cloth. 

Once your candles are dust-free, take a few precautions to keep them that way. For starters, keep them away from direct sunlight and store them in a cold, dry, and shaded space to prevent a fresh layer of dust from settling on the waxy surface and undoing your hard work. Take care to keep the dinner and taper wax lights flat during storage to prevent warping. Moreover, keep them covered with a dedicated cover like a lid whenever you're not using them to keep unwanted dust and debris out. You can even turn your vintage candle holder into a chic cloche and use it to shield the candles.

Further, make it a point to rub them down with nylon pantyhose every few weeks, regardless of the usage frequency, to improve their appearance and avert unwarranted fire hazards. Finally, don't forget to maintain the wick of the candle. Trim it to nearly ¼ inch prior to lighting the candles. This trick will banish dust from the wick. It'll also help you save time and effort down the line as it'll promote a clean burning so the soot buildup isn't too bad.