How to Melt Crayons
Assemble a double boiler or bain marie., Peel the wrappers off of the crayons., Consider separating the crayons by color., Cut the crayons into smaller pieces using a craft knife or a kitchen knife., Turn on the stove and bring the water to a boil...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Assemble a double boiler or bain marie.
Fill a large pot with 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to
5.08 centimeters) of water.
Place a heat-safe glass container inside the large pot.
The top of the glass container should be above the water level.
If you have a metal beaker used for candle-making, you can use this instead of the glass container. -
Step 2: Peel the wrappers off of the crayons.
If you don't remove the wrapper, you will end up with a soggy mess.
Here are a few easy ways to remove crayon wrappers:
Peel and tear the wrapper off.
Start at one end (top or bottom) and the seam of the wrapper.
Nick your fingernail under the wrapper, and start tearing it off.
If the wrappers are difficult to remove, run a craft knife down the length of a crayon and gently cut the wrapper open.
Peel the wrapper off.Soak the crayon in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes.
The water will soften the paper and make it easier to remove.Some crayons have very loose wrappers that are not glued on.
You might be able to slide these off like a sock or a paper wrapper off a straw. , If you have a bunch of crayons in different colors, you can sort them by color.
This will save you time later when you are melting the crayons.
You do not have to group specific colors together, such as putting all of the "periwinkle" blues together and the "royal" blues together.
Instead, just group all of the blues together, all of the yellows together, and so forth. , You want the pieces to be about ½ inches (1.27 centimeters) long.This will help them melt quicker and reduce the number of lumps that might form. , Once the water starts boiling, lower the temperature and keep the water at a steady simmer. , Do not put all of the colors in all at once, or you will get a murky brown color.
Instead, drop the crayons in based on color.
If you sorted the colors out beforehand, you can just drop the color piles into the container.
If you are making crayon candles, then add some shaved candle wax and a few drops of essential oil or candle fragrance.If you are making crayon-based lipstick, then you will need to start with one crayon (you can use one color, or different colors amounting to one crayon) and ½ teaspoon of shea butter, and ½ teaspoon of oil, such as almond oil, Argan oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, or olive oil.If you want to add any extras, such as glitter, fragrance, or essential oil, now is the time to do so. , Stir them occasionally with a spoon so that everything gets heated evenly.
Do not leave the stove unattended and be sure to use good ventilation; the fumes given off by the melting wax can cause headaches.
If the water level in the big pot starts to get too low, add more water. , The glass container will be very hot, so be sure to use an oven mitt or pot holder to protect your hand.
You can pour the hot wax into silicone ice cube molds or candy molds to make fun-shaped crayons.
You can also use this wax to make crayon-based lipstick or candles. -
Step 3: Consider separating the crayons by color.
-
Step 4: Cut the crayons into smaller pieces using a craft knife or a kitchen knife.
-
Step 5: Turn on the stove and bring the water to a boil.
-
Step 6: Drop the crayon pieces into the glass container.
-
Step 7: Wait until the crayons are melted.
-
Step 8: Take the container out of the water and use the wax.
Detailed Guide
Fill a large pot with 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to
5.08 centimeters) of water.
Place a heat-safe glass container inside the large pot.
The top of the glass container should be above the water level.
If you have a metal beaker used for candle-making, you can use this instead of the glass container.
If you don't remove the wrapper, you will end up with a soggy mess.
Here are a few easy ways to remove crayon wrappers:
Peel and tear the wrapper off.
Start at one end (top or bottom) and the seam of the wrapper.
Nick your fingernail under the wrapper, and start tearing it off.
If the wrappers are difficult to remove, run a craft knife down the length of a crayon and gently cut the wrapper open.
Peel the wrapper off.Soak the crayon in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes.
The water will soften the paper and make it easier to remove.Some crayons have very loose wrappers that are not glued on.
You might be able to slide these off like a sock or a paper wrapper off a straw. , If you have a bunch of crayons in different colors, you can sort them by color.
This will save you time later when you are melting the crayons.
You do not have to group specific colors together, such as putting all of the "periwinkle" blues together and the "royal" blues together.
Instead, just group all of the blues together, all of the yellows together, and so forth. , You want the pieces to be about ½ inches (1.27 centimeters) long.This will help them melt quicker and reduce the number of lumps that might form. , Once the water starts boiling, lower the temperature and keep the water at a steady simmer. , Do not put all of the colors in all at once, or you will get a murky brown color.
Instead, drop the crayons in based on color.
If you sorted the colors out beforehand, you can just drop the color piles into the container.
If you are making crayon candles, then add some shaved candle wax and a few drops of essential oil or candle fragrance.If you are making crayon-based lipstick, then you will need to start with one crayon (you can use one color, or different colors amounting to one crayon) and ½ teaspoon of shea butter, and ½ teaspoon of oil, such as almond oil, Argan oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, or olive oil.If you want to add any extras, such as glitter, fragrance, or essential oil, now is the time to do so. , Stir them occasionally with a spoon so that everything gets heated evenly.
Do not leave the stove unattended and be sure to use good ventilation; the fumes given off by the melting wax can cause headaches.
If the water level in the big pot starts to get too low, add more water. , The glass container will be very hot, so be sure to use an oven mitt or pot holder to protect your hand.
You can pour the hot wax into silicone ice cube molds or candy molds to make fun-shaped crayons.
You can also use this wax to make crayon-based lipstick or candles.
About the Author
Jennifer Johnson
Experienced content creator specializing in creative arts guides and tutorials.
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