Helpful Tips for Cleaning Mica Out of Your Wax Melting Pot

People are starting to make more household products themselves. You can find tutorials on everything from homemade soap to DIY candles. Candles and other wax crafts are especially popular since you can give them as gifts or even sell them.

While making wax crafts such as candles is fun and opens a new income opportunity, cleaning up afterward doesn’t feel like a fun opportunity. Hardened wax is difficult to clean, and additions such as dyes and mica don’t make the process any easier. We’ve compiled some helpful tips for cleaning mica out of your wax melting pot so you can clean up and move on to more enjoyable activities.

Store Leftover Wax

Many people end up with more melted wax than they need for a project. Instead of trying to clean all this up and just throw it away, you should store it. Pour the leftover wax into a safe mold or a paper cup and allow it to harden. You can peel it out of the mold or paper cup and store it or re-melt it when you need more wax for a future project.

Dry the Pot With Paper Towels

Even if you pour and store leftover wax, a thin layer of melted wax will probably stick to your melting pot. Cover your hand and forearm with an oven mitt, leather glove, or similar protective device, and place paper towels into the pot. Once the paper towels absorb the wax, remove them and throw them away. Repeat this process until you’ve cleaned out all the wax. Remember to wipe down the sides and spout as you go.

Use Rubbing Alcohol and Baking Soda

While the paper towels will soak up the wax, additives can linger in the pot. You may notice mica flakes sticking in the pot, a lingering odor from the scent you used, or a ring of dye around the side. Wet a paper towel with rubbing alcohol and wipe it through the inside of your pot to remove mica flakes or dye.

If the mica flakes stick or you need to remove the scent, sprinkle baking soda into the pot. Use a wet rag or sponge to gently scrub the baking soda into the pot. Let the frothy mixture sit for about half an hour before rinsing and drying with paper towels.

Cleaning mica out of your wax melting pot along with leftover wax, dye, and scents can initially feel impossible. However, these helpful tips enable you to prevent wax waste and get your pot clean in no time. If you’ve just finished a wax project and need more epoxy flake colors for your next project, Eye Candy Pigments can help. Our chameleon flakes add beautiful color and shimmer to any creative project, including candles.