# How To Make A Candle Out of Citrus Fruits in 2 Steps



## IrritatedWithUS (Jan 9, 2011)

*This post is to show the people of Prepared Society how to make a candle using kitchen oils and citrus fruits such as an orange or lemon. *










Tools Needed:

Orange, Grapefruit, or Lemon
Knife
Any type of oil; Vegetable, Canola, Olive​
*Step 1:​*Remove / eat the middle portion of the orange being careful to leave the middle stem like portion intact. I found removal easiest by using a sharp knife and digging out the middle starting with the edge closest to the outside of the orange.








*Step 2:​*
After step 1, I usually let my orange sit out in the open inside for 2 hours just to dry out a little bit. Then I fill the cavity with any type of oil such as vegetable or olive oil to just below the center stem-like "wick". Light the center stem wick. This orange candle burned for most of the day.​


----------



## Halfway (Nov 26, 2009)

Does it leave much soot?

I bet it smells great!


----------



## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

WOW! Pretty cool. :thankyou:


----------



## rhrobert (Apr 27, 2009)

Yeah, I got that in my instructables.com newsletter. My son wants to try it out so we'll make one tomorrow morning.
You should give credit to them, unless you authored the article.  since you're using their pics and verbiage.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Orange-Candle/


----------



## lhalfcent (Mar 11, 2010)

very cool!


----------



## IrritatedWithUS (Jan 9, 2011)

rhrobert said:


> Yeah, I got that in my instructables.com newsletter. My son wants to try it out so we'll make one tomorrow morning.
> You should give credit to them, unless you authored the article.  since you're using their pics and verbiage.
> Orange Candle


Woops, I did but I was editing the HTML around the centered portion of step two and I guess I deleted it. Yes, I got the newsletter too! I love it!


----------



## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Very cool ... :wave:

Can't wait to try it.


----------



## rhrobert (Apr 27, 2009)

IrritatedWithUS said:


> Woops, I did but I was editing the HTML around the centered portion of step two and I guess I deleted it. Yes, I got the newsletter too! I love it!


We ended up making one last night....I don't think we let it sit long enough though before lighting it. Burned about 15 minutes and extinguished itself.
Will try it again today. 
No smoke, no soot. Definitely cool!


----------



## TommyJefferson (May 12, 2010)

Cool beans! Thanks.


----------



## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

rhrobert said:


> We ended up making one last night....I don't think we let it sit long enough though before lighting it. Burned about 15 minutes and extinguished itself.
> Will try it again today.
> No smoke, no soot. Definitely cool!


okay, with this info, I let mine sit out overnight, but it didn't work. Maybe too dry. Will have to use the other half w/ a shorter dry time. Also, used leftover oil, don't know if that would hinder the flame.


----------



## rhrobert (Apr 27, 2009)

Possumfam said:


> okay, with this info, I let mine sit out overnight, but it didn't work. Maybe too dry. Will have to use the other half w/ a shorter dry time. Also, used leftover oil, don't know if that would hinder the flame.


 Sorry I didn't update...after letting it sit overnight, I put a drop of oil on the "wick" and fired it up. It burned steadily for about 3 hours until we had to extinguish it to leave. We haven't lit it since then. 
I used lamp oil from one of the lanterns to fill it.


----------



## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I made one about an hour ago, tried to light it and would not burn until I laid the "wick" over and soaked it in oil for a few minutes. I did not let it sit overnight or dry out and it has been burning for about an hour now, no smoke, no soot and the smoke detector(or oven timer as the daughters call it) hasn't gone off.

I poured a layer of salt in a bowl and sat the candle in it to ensure it would not tip over, and if it does, the oil will be soaked up by the salt.

Neat little candle, filled it with used french fry oil, smells like Micky D's in here, not oranges.


----------



## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

My concern was the easiness wih which it would tip. The bowl of salt is a great idea! Anything will work-sand, rice, etc. REALLY cool idea for a candle.


----------



## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

Would it float in a bowl of water? It could be held in place by some kind of metal/wire dealy that holds it in place if it doesnt sit upright in the bowl. Might look cool too?


----------



## musketjim (Dec 7, 2011)

Cool idea can't wait to try it.


----------



## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

This is so cool! I can't wait until the next time we go to town so I can buy and orange and try this! I wonder if, in addition to setting it in a bowl of sand/salt/rice/whatever, a person could set a large lamp globe over/around it and get better light? I guess one would have to be careful what the glass sat on so a fire wouldn't be ignited. Maybe a cookie sheet? In a cake pan?


----------



## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

Does anyone realize just how much thought we've collectively put into gettting a speck of light out of an old piece of fruit? 

Ingenuity makes the prepper's world go round, eh?

I say this not as an insult. This is the kind of thing I'll dump hours of thought into.


----------



## SageAdvicefarmgirl (Jun 23, 2011)

Jason said:


> Does anyone realize just how much thought we've collectively put into gettting a speck of light out of an old piece of fruit?
> 
> Ingenuity makes the prepper's world go round, eh?
> 
> I say this not as an insult. This is the kind of thing I'll dump hours of thought into.


DITTO! As they say, necessity is the Mother of Invention!


----------



## lovetogrow (Jan 25, 2011)

Thanks a bunch - definitely going to give this gem a whirl :canflag:


----------

