How to Make a Candle out of an Orange

Last Updated: December 15, 2022 References Tested

Typical, store bought holiday candles can be dull when compared to homemade candles. And one truly unique option is to fashion a candle from an orange! This fun holiday craft will add ambiance to your next get-together, brighten your home and use up any unwanted oranges. This project is easy, inexpensive and suitable for anyone comfortable with handling a knife for carving.

Steps

1
Prepare your orange.
2
Cut the orange on the cutting board. Use the paring knife to slice into the peel of the orange. Insert only as far as the pith, taking the knife around the middle of the orange, going all the way around the circumference.^{[1]
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3
Peel the orange. Gently push your finger under the skin of the orange and peel the skin away so that it separates from the orange without tearing.
4
Locate the "wick". Once separated from orange flesh, the orange peel should be easy to remove. When removing the orange flesh, a white wick-like “stem” part should remain––leave this intact, still attached to the peel.^{[2]
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5
Add oil. Pour olive oil (approximately 3 tablespoons) to cover the stem and allow wick to soak for a 2-3 minutes.^{[3]
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6
Create a design. The design is both pretty and functional, as it allows the candle to breathe. Create a design on paper first, to help prevent mistakes when cutting the orange. Then, take the top off the orange and score out the design you've made, using the paring knife.^{[4]
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7
Light the candle. Light the orange’s stem with a lighter. This may take a couple of attempts. It might be easier to use extra long barbecue matches if you feel it's too cramped using a lighter.^{[5]
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8
Place the top half (with its pre-designed hole) onto the bottom half with the wick. This completes the candle.^{[6]
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9
Enjoy!

Community Q&A

Question

What type of orange works best?

Community Answer

A fresh but dry orange should do. If you want a stronger orange smell, get the Mexican variety.
Question

Is it possible to purchase wicks?

Agewalker

Community Answer

The wick is part of the orange. If the candle burns down, just get a new orange.
Question

Can I use vegetable oil instead of olive oil?

Community Answer

Yes you can, but olive oil will give a more pleasant scent than vegetable oil.

Warnings

Make sure flame does not touch the top of the orange so that it doesn't burn it. If this begins to happen, make the hole bigger.

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Use caution while using paring knife. Try to cut away from your hands or body.

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Helpful 47 Not Helpful 18
Never leave lighted candles unattended.

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Helpful 52 Not Helpful 21
Be careful while using the lighter when lighting the candle.

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