Wax warmers are a cute, fun way to make your home look and smell amazing. There are many types of wax warmers out there and you’re sure to find at least one that fits your home’s aesthetic. After you’ve found the perfect warmer, it’s normal to wonder if you can leave wax in your warmer safely.
When it comes to leaving wax in your warmer, there’s no hard and fast rule for when to take the wax out. Leaving wax in your wax warmer will not harm the warmer or present much of a risk to the safety of your home. You can change the wax when the scent is no longer as strong as you’d like it to be, whether the wax is cooled or warm at that time.
Since there’s no exact rule on how long to leave wax in your warmer you have a lot of flexibility to change the wax when you’re ready. There are some general things you can keep in mind when you’re trying to decide if you want to leave wax in your warmer, or if you want to take a few extra minutes and clean your wax warmer out.
If you aren’t sure about leaving the wax in your warmer, here are a few things you can consider.
How Long Does Scented Wax Last In A Warmer?
One thing that definitely will affect your ability to leave wax in your warmer is how long the scent of your wax will last. A lot of this can depend on the brand of the wax you choose to use. Some brands may last only a few hours, while others may last up to a week or more depending on how long you leave your warmer on.
When you are using your wax warmer, you can choose from a very large variety of scents and brands. Most brands will mention how long their wax bars tend to last, so you can use those guidelines to figure out how long you can expect your wax to hold its scent.
Another thing that affects how long the scent will last in a wax warmer is how long you leave your warmer on during the day. Leaving your warmer on 24/7 can result in your wax melts losing their scent a little more quickly. If you’re hoping to make your wax last as long as possible, leave it in your warmer, and turn your warmer off for at least a few hours each day.
If you like to have a very strong scent from your wax bars, you may need to consider that when you’re buying scented wax. Strong scents may fade quickly to more subtle scents, which could affect how long you can leave the wax in your warmer before losing the desired effect. If the scent is no longer as strong as you’re hoping, it’s time to change the wax in your warmer.
When Should I Clean Out Old Wax From My Warmer?
This is another area of wax warmers that doesn’t have a hard rule. If you’re still enjoying the wax you put in your warmer, it’s okay to keep using it. Sometimes you can use the same wax for days or weeks before you need to clean out the wax warmer tray and put in fresh wax. It’s entirely up to you and often depends on how strong or subtle you like your home scent to be.
After you’ve used the wax for a while you may notice that the scent is gone, or that the wax itself looks like it’s getting a little old. Sometimes the waxy may even start to harden a little at the edges of the warming tray. Once you notice these things your best option is to go ahead and clean out the old wax and start with something fresh.
Whether the wax has lost its scent, gotten old, or you’re just ready for a fresh smell in your home, you’ll want to make sure you clean out your warming tray well. You have a few options for how to clean out your warmer.
You can pour warm wax out into another container to cool and then toss out. (You definitely don’t want to pour it down your drain so be careful!) You can also turn the warmer off and let the wax cool in the warming tray. Once it’s hardened you can scrape the wax out and toss it in the garbage.
Make sure that you get all of the old wax out of the warmer before you put in a new wax cube. If you’ve poured out warm wax, you’ll want to make sure you wipe out any left over wax and that the tray is dry before putting a new scent in. You can easily do this with a soft cloth or even a paper towel.
If you don’t clean out the warmer thoroughly you may end up with wax building up on the edges of your warmer. A build up of old wax around those edges will result in your fresh wax cubes not working as well as they could. Cleaning the warmer might feel a little tedious but the effort will be worth it in the long run.
Read more about How to Remove Candle Wax from a Candle Warmer?
Is It Safe To Leave Wax In My Warmer Overnight?
Most wax warmers are just a small lamp that uses the heat from the lightbulb to melt the wax. This means the danger of having a flame from a candle isn’t an issue for wax warmers. Many people do leave their wax warmers on overnight, even relying on them as a night light for their homes.
Leaving the wax in your warmer overnight is entirely up to you. There are still the same risks that you would associate with any normal electrical appliance use. Those risks include the possibility of your warmer overheating. If the warmer is brand new or you aren’t sure how hot it truly gets after extended use, you may want to use extra caution until you feel comfortable.
It’s important to note that if your wax warmer relies on smaller tea light candles to heat the scented wax cubes, you’ll want to follow all the same precautions you would with a normal candle, including extinguishing the candle when you aren’t around to make sure everything is okay. It wouldn’t be safe to use this particular type of wax warmer overnight while you’re asleep.
What Happens If I Leave Wax In My Warmer For Too Long?
While there really isn’t a “too long” in terms of possibly breaking your warmer, sometimes hardened wax can be really tough to get out of your wax warmer. The longer a wax has been sitting in the warmer without being warmed, the harder it can be to get the wax out. Your warmer is going to be okay but it might make the cleaning a little more frustrating.
If you’ve left the wax warmer off and the wax has hardened a little too long, you have a few options. You can turn the warmer on and let the wax get soft enough to easily remove from the warming tray. You can also take the warming tray off of the warmer and place it in warm water until the wax has softened enough to be easily scraped out of the tray.
Remember that you’ll want to make sure you get all of that old wax out before you put in a new scent. You don’t want to deal with a build up caused by old, hardened wax, especially if you’re going to use new wax on top of it. Leaving the wax in the tray isn’t going to do long term damage, but it does make things harder to keep clean.
Read more about How Long Can a Candle Warmer Stay On?
It’s All Up To You
Now that you know it’s okay to leave wax in your wax warmer, the rest is all up to you. If you like a stronger scent you may find that you can’t leave the wax in your warmer quite as long as someone who likes a more subtle scent. The great thing about wax warmers is they truly can be personalized to your own preferences for scent types and strengths.
Once you figure out a routine for your wax warmer you’ll know how long you can leave the wax in it before you need to clean it out. Keep these tips in mind as you explore and you’ll be enjoying the way your home smells for years to come.