| How to Make a Candle With Essential Oils Posted: 28 May 2020 01:00 AM PDT Making candles at home allows you to choose the scent and appearance of your candles. Craft stores sell scents specifically for candle-making, but you can also scent your candles with essential oils. The trick to using essential oils is adding the oils when the wax is hot, but not so hot that the oils evaporate. Because soy wax has a lower melting point than other types of wax and melts easily in the microwave, it is an ideal wax to use to make a candle with essential oils. [Edit]Melting and Coloring the Wax - Cover your work surface with newspaper. Wax splatters are difficult to clean, and even if you manage to scrape them off, there may still be some residue. Make cleaning easier later on by covering your counter with some newspaper.[1]
- You can also use other protective coverings, such as plastic bags, paper bags, or plastic tablecloths.
- Choose a glass or metal container for your candle. Tin cans, old tea tins, and mason jars are all great choices here. Make sure that whatever container you choose can withstand heat. Even though the flame won't be directly touching the material, it will still get hot.
- Wash the container with warm, soapy water, even if it looks clean.
- Old candle jars are another great option. Be sure to remove all of the old wax first, however.
- If you are using a mason jar, choose one that has a wide mouth; it will be easier to work with than the kind with the standard, narrow mouth.
- Measure your wax flakes with your container, then double it. Place a bowl on a kitchen scale, then use your chosen container to measure out 2 portions of wax flakes. Wax will shrink as it melts, so you will need to use twice the amount that your container holds.
- Cans and jars come in all shapes and sizes, so there is no set weight that you should use.
- Soy wax flakes are the most popular and easiest to work with, but you can use others too, such as beeswax.
- Weigh your wax using a kitchen scale. This will help you figure out how much essential oil to use. Keep in mind that different types of waxes may require different ratios of wax to essential oil, so double-check the instructions that came with your wax.
- Melt the wax and heat it to about . Use a candle-making or candy-making thermometer to gauge the temperature. Double-check the instructions that came with your wax to find out exactly what temperature it should be heated to, as different kinds of wax have different melting points.
- Microwave: put the wax into a glass measuring cup, then heat it at 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until melts.[2]
- Stove: Fill a pot with a of water, then set a metal pitcher into it. Add the wax to the pitcher, and bring the water to a boil. Stir the wax often as it melts.[3]
- Add color to the wax, if desired. There are 2 ways that you can do this. The professional way would be to add some pieces of candle-making dye. It comes in little bricks, which you can get at a craft store or online. Continue heating the wax until the dye melts and blends in completely.[4]
- Alternatively, you can add in some crayon shavings instead.[5]
[Edit]Adding the Wick - Place a drop of hot wax into the bottom of your container. Take some of the wax you just melted, and place a drop into the bottom of your container. Alternatively, you can use a drop of hot glue or super glue instead.
- Be prepared to work quickly, as the hot wax or hot glue will set up fast.
- If you don't have spare candles or a hot glue gun on hand, place a piece of double-sided tape against the bottom of your tabbed wick.
- Press a tabbed wick into the wax. You can buy tabbed candle wicks in the candle aisle of a craft store and online. They look like long candle wicks with small, metal disks on the bottom. Tuck the wick into the container, then use your finger or a stick to press the tab against the hot wax or hot glue.[6]
- Don't worry if the wick is too long for the container. You will cut it at the very end. If you cut it now, it won't stick up straight in the wax.
- Wrap the wick around a stick, then set the stick on top of the container. Take a stick of some sort; it can be a pen, chopstick, pencil, or even a paintbrush. Wrap the end of the wick around your stick until the stick hits the rim of the container. This will help hold the wick upright.[7]
- If the wick starts to unravel, secure it to the stick with a clothespin or a binder clip.
- Wrap the wick tightly enough so that it stands up as straight as possible inside the container.
- Wait about 5 minutes for the wick to set. Hot glue will need about 2 to 3 minutes to harden. If you used super glue or double-sided tape, then you don't need to wait at all.
- If you don't wait for the wax or hot glue to set, the wick may move as you are pouring the wax.
[Edit]Scenting and Pouring the Wax - Let the wax cool to about . Use a candy-making or candle-making thermometer to gauge the temperature as the wax cools. The wax may already have cooled down to this temperature while you prepared the jar. If it didn't, then just wait a few more minutes.
- This is very important; if you add the oils to the wax too soon, the heat will cause them to burn off resulting in a less-fragrant candle.
- Stir in your desired essential oils. You can use just 1 type of essential oil, or you can mix-and-match difference oils to create a more unique fragrance. How much you add is up to you, but plan on using about 1/2 ounce (15 mL) of essential oil per 1 pound (454 g) of candle wax flakes.[8]
- You can use more or less oil. Keep in mind that the scent will weaken a little once the candle hardens.[9]
- Pour the wax slowly into the container. Don't pour quickly, or you'll get bubbles and wax splatters. Leave about of the container unfilled. If you fill it all the way to the top, the wax may drip down the sides of the container when you light the candle.
- Be sure to save the excess wax. You can use it to fill in any dips or wells in the finished candle.
- Let the candle harden on the counter or in the fridge. As it hardens, the wax will turn from clear to opaque once again. Depending on the type of wax you used, this will be either white, ivory, or yellow.[10]
- It will take at least 4 hours on the counter, but it may take as long as 6 or 8. It shouldn't take longer than 1 hour in the fridge, however.
- Reheat the excess wax and use it to fill any wells, if needed. If your candle dried with a well in the middle, melt the leftover wax, then pour it into the well to fill it. Let the wax cool before moving on.
- Let any leftover wax harden and cool, then discard it into the trash. Never pour hot wax down the drain.[11]
- Trim the wick down to about . Unravel the wick first, then cut it with a pair of scissors down to about . This will help prevent the flame from becoming too big and creating too much smoke.[12]
- You will need to trim the wick down each time before you use the candle.
- You can buy candy-making or candle-making thermometers online or in craft stores.
- Fragrance oils are not the same thing as essential oils; they are synthetic while essential oils are the real deal and come from plants and herbs.[13]
- There will still be some loss of fragrance due to heat of the wax. This is unavoidable because the wax must be melted in order to mix in the oil.[14]
- You can use cheaper essential oil from the craft store, but it may be synthetic and not have any of the beneficial properties of genuine essential oil.[15]
- Some essential oils hold up better to heat than others, such as lavender, lemongrass, and patchouli.[16]
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Heat-safe tin or jar
- Soy wax flakes
- Glass measuring cup
- Wooden spoon
- Essential oil
- Tabbed candle wick
- Stick
- Scissors
- Candy-making or candle-making thermometer
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Get Rid of Silverfish Posted: 27 May 2020 05:00 PM PDT Silverfish are fairly harmless, but these grayish-blue, serpentine creatures aren't pleasant to have around the house. They feed on books, dead skin cells, and other starchy materials and thrive in dark, wet spaces. Once you've determined you have an infestation, you can get rid of silverfish by trapping them, repelling them, killing them with insecticides, or making your home less hospitable. There are plenty of options to try, so be aware that you may have to experiment and implement several techniques to completely fix your silverfish problem. [Edit]Household Solutions If you're dealing with a silverfish infestation, you may be able to handle it without calling the exterminators, using products found around your house: [Edit]Trapping Silverfish - Figure out where they're lurking. Since silverfish are nocturnal, you may not see them during the day. Rather, you'll probably become aware of their presence because of what they leave behind. Look for damp, dark areas with small spots of excrement that look like black pepper. Small holes and yellowish stains on clothing, wallpaper, cereal boxes, and other cardboard or fabric materials also indicate they're nearby. Finally, silverfish shed their skin, so you can look around for tiny skin casts in your bathroom, basement and other areas where you suspect they live.[1]
- Set out homemade glass silverfish traps. Take a quart-sized mason jar or another glass container. Wrap the outside of the container with a piece of masking tape. Place a piece of bread at the bottom of the glass. Set the glass in an area where you suspect silverfish reside. Make sure to wrap tape all the way to the top. The silverfish will climb into the glass to eat the bread, but they'll be unable to get back out, since the glass is too slippery.[2]
- Use the traps at night, when silverfish come out to feed.
- Try newspaper traps. Roll up a newspaper, band the ends with elastic, and moisten it. Set it out where you often see silverfish leavings before you go to bed. In the morning, silverfish will have eaten their way into the newspaper, since you've provided them with both food and a cozy environment.[3] Throw the newspapers away (without unrolling them) or burn them. Repeat every night until you don't see any more signs of silverfish.[1]
- Make as many traps as necessary to trap the silverfish in your home. Depending on the severity of your infestation, you may need to set them out several nights in a row.
- Use store-bought traps. If you don't want silverfish touching your glassware, you can buy traps designed to catch them from a hardware store. Any type of sticky traps will work. Buy some "roach motels" or smaller traps you can set around to catch the silverfish. You can bait them with small pieces of bread or another starch.
[Edit]Using Repellents and Insecticides - Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in cabinets and other dark areas. This powdery substance is actually food-grade, and it's used to kill anything that crawls. It's made out of ground-up fossilized material, and the sharp edges of each individual grain puncture insects' exoskeletons and cause them to die without causing any harm to humans or pets.
- Sprinkle the substance in your cabinets, along baseboards, and anywhere else you'd like before you go to bed. In the morning, vacuum up the powder (and along with it, the silverfish).
- Wear a mask when you're sprinkling the powder, since it can irritate your lungs.
- Try boric acid. This is another natural substance that kills both silverfish and their eggs. Sprinkle it along baseboards, under the bathtub, and in other areas where you see silverfish signs. Be careful not to inhale boric acid when you apply it, since it's toxic to the lungs. Avoid using it where your household pets might get into it, too.
- Buy a chemical spray containing liquid pyrethrin.[4] This chemical kills silverfish when you spray it along baseboards and into cracks, as well as other places where silverfish lurk. Do not apply this in your kitchen cabinets or near food sources, and don't apply it where children and pets hang out, since it's toxic.
- Sprinkle cedar shavings where they live. Silverfish are repelled by the smell of cedar, so you can keep them away by sprinkling it around areas where they live.[5] Since cedar shavings can make a bit of a mess, use them in outdoor areas, basements, and other places where you don't mind having wood shavings lying around. Vacuum them up and replace them every week or so.
- Use spice sachets in your kitchen cabinets. Silverfish don't like the smell of spices, so making up little sachets of cloves, cinnamon, and other strong-smelling spices and placing them in your kitchen cabinets is a great, safe way to keep them away from your food.[6]
- Use a citrus or lavender spray. Both of these scents are also effective in repelling silverfish, and they're completely nontoxic to humans, of course.[7] Get some lemon or lavender essential oil from a health food store. Dilute with water and shake the solution up in a spray bottle and spray liberally in all areas where you don't want silverfish. These sprays are great for closets, drawers, and other bedroom areas.
[Edit]Preventing Silverfish from Returning - Dehumidify your home. Since silverfish love damp places, reducing the humidity in your home is a sure way to keep them out.[8] Buy a dehumidifier and try to reduce the humidity in your home. If you don't want to use a dehumidifier, run the air conditioner or at least keep the fans on.
- Caulk all cracks and crevices where they could lay eggs. If your house is full of dark, damp cracks and crevices, filling these is a good way to keep silverfish out. Buy some caulk and apply it along baseboards, inside cracks, and in holes in your wall or floor. This is particularly important to do in your kitchen, bathroom and basement.
- Remove food sources from your house. Keeping your floor clear of silverfish food may help keep their population down. Don't leave a pile of books on the floor, and clean up your dirty laundry before it sits there too long. In addition to these primary food sources, consider the following sources that may be a factor:
- Cardboard boxes. Store your boxes on shelves instead of the floor, where they're more likely to get damp.
- Food containers. Keep your food in sealed plastic containers instead of boxes.
- Wallpaper. If you've got old wallpaper, consider replacing it with paint or new wallpaper.
- Old clothing. If you store your out-of-season clothing in your basement or a dark closet, consider placing it in plastic bags to keep the silverfish out.
- Vacuum your house often. Vacuuming helps to keep their food sources down and sucks eggs out of the carpet and baseboards. Vacuum at least once a week. When necessary, you can dry out your carpets by sprinkling them with baking soda, leaving it for a few hours, then vacuuming it up. This dries out the eggs so you can suck them up.
- Keep your plumbing in good order so as not to create a damp environment.
- Silverfish like places where they can live in safety. This means that they will hide in places that are damp, messy, have several good hiding places, and have a lot of paper. Keeping your house tidy will leave them vulnerable to the vacuum. Move your things around often, as this will disturb them frequently.
- Leave a lot of open space. Silverfish might try to come out and run to eat something. You can try leaving bait such as a nice tasty book on the floor. Kill any that emerge in your presence.
- Check your basement and attic first. Paper-backed or cellulose insulation in these areas is a great source of food for silverfish.
[Edit]Warnings - Be careful using chemicals; some may harm your family and pets if they ingest or inhale them. Be sure to check safety precautions and warnings labels before using and follow the directions for use.
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make Origami Paper Claws Posted: 27 May 2020 09:00 AM PDT Origami claws can really spice up your ghoulish costume or spoke your friends. If your Halloween costume needs some claws, you can just fashion your own claws for each finger. They are sharp and pointy, so don't get too carried away, they're just for show! Become an absolute expert. Take our wikiHow Origami Bootcamp!
[Edit]Forming Claws from Standard Paper - Place the paper on a flat surface. Position the paper vertically (portrait). You can use any type of paper you have lying around the house. If you want sturdier claws, then use thicker paper.
- Fold the top right corner over and down. Align the fold to the paper's bottom. The left side of the sheet now has a point.
- Fold the point to the opposite corner. It should look like a rectangle that is missing a corner.
- Fold the diagonal edge at the top part down. Align the top edge to the diagonal edge. This should now be in the shape of a square. Position the paper with the right angle of the triangle pointing up, or away from you.
- Create a triangle. Fold the square along the diagonal line. This should create a triangle.
- Fold the paper in half. Imagine a vertical line dividing the triangle in half, from the point to the base, right down the middle. You're creating a right triangle.
- You may want to draw this line in pencil the first couple of times. Use a T-square to make sure the line down the middle is at a right angle to the base of the triangle.
- This fold is to form a crease that will be important for the following fold.
- Fold the left side into the crease. Unfold the recently formed right triangle and fold the two edged side directly to the half-way line of the triangle. The fold's outer edge should be going straight down, perpendicular to the bottom and even extending below the bottom of your triangle.
- Repeat the previous fold two more times. Fold the same side over itself again. You should be able to see the claw coming into form.
- Be careful to line each fold with your imaginary pencil line.
- Make sure you keep each fold very tight and at the same angle. If the folds start to slant upwards, instead of staying aligned, the claw won't be as sturdy.
- Tuck the bottom flap into the end. You may need to open the hole for the flap up with your finger. Hold it so the opening is visible and easy to insert one flap.
- Open the smaller triangle in the middle of the folds. Simply stick your finger into the smaller triangle to open it up. This will look like a knuckle for the claw.
- It may be a tight fit at first.
- The tighter the fit the more likely the claw will stay on your finger.
[Edit]Using Origami Paper - Buy or construct origami paper. To make origami paper, orient a standard sized paper (8.5x11) longways and fold a corner farthest to the opposite edge. Then cut off the excess part of the paper that wasn't covered by this fold. This will create a square.
- Sturdier paper will increase the the durability.
- Fold the paper in half. Imagine a line running from the top-left corner going to the bottom-right corner. Fold along this line to create a right triangle.[1]
- Fold the paper on the diagonal axis. You are turning your right triangle into an isosceles triangle. Make sure the crease is strong.
- Fold the paper on a diagonal axis, again. The line that you are folding now will start from one corner, and will end in the middle of the other two corners. Continue to ensure that your creases are strong.
- Make a vertical valley fold.[2] Position the claw in front of you so the pointiest "nail" faces left. Imagine a line descending straight from the top tip to the bottom. Fold the smaller corner towards the "nail." Then unfold this fold.
- Tuck the right tip into the pocket.[3] By making the vertical valley fold, you've allowed a pocket to be formed. This is where your finger will go.
[Edit]Using an Alternative Technique - Place the paper on a flat surface. Position the paper horizontally. You can use any type of paper you have lying around the house. If you want sturdier claws, then use thicker paper.
- Fold the top left corner over and down. Align the fold to the paper's bottom. The left side of the sheet now has a point.
- Fold the two corners on the right side. Only fold these corners to the line of the previous fold. This will create two smaller triangles.[4]
- Fold the left point over. Imagine this right triangle without the other two triangles. Just fold the right tip to the opposite tip of the right triangle.
- Use the excess strip. Fold the excess strip with the two smaller triangles up onto the other triangle. This will form a triangle with this recent fold on top of it.
- Fold the paper in half. Imagine a vertical line dividing the triangle in half, from the point to the base, right down the middle. You're creating a right triangle.
- This fold is to form a crease that will be important for the following fold.
- Fold the left side into the crease. Unfold the recently formed right triangle and fold the two folded edges directly to the half-way line of the triangle. The fold's outer edge should be going straight down, perpendicular to the bottom and even extending below the bottom of your triangle.
- Repeat the previous fold two more times. Fold the same side over itself again. You should be able to see the claw coming into form.
- Tuck the bottom flap into the end. You may need to open the hole for the flap up with your finger. Hold it so the opening is visible and easy to insert one flap.
- Open the smaller triangle in the middle of the folds. Simply stick your finger into the smaller triangle to open it up. This will look like a knuckle for the claw.
- Buy some black gloves in a thrift store, or look for old ones around the house, and cut off the ends from the fingers. Put your claws on over the gloves for an even better look.
- Practice on thin, cheap paper before using any expensive materials.
- Some people might have fingers that are too large or small. You can always use bigger or smaller paper, just make sure it has the same proportions.
- If you want the claws to match your costume you could do a design on them.
- You can change the color by using black paper or even painting. Construction paper is heavier and harder to work with but makes more durable claws and is available in a variety of colors.
- Make your folds as exact as possible. Consider using a paper folder or a ruler. Sharp, exact folds are the key to success in almost any origami projects.
- This is hard. Your claws will get better and better the more you make them.
- Younger children may need help doing this.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - An 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, standard letter size in the United States
- A hard surface to fold on
- Paper folder or ruler (optional)
- T-square (optional)
- Origami paper (optional)
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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