Once the last flame is out, an object remains. At Maison Monravel, the jar has never been a mere container: crafted in Tuscany by master glassmakers, it is designed to be reused and refilled. Here is how to clean it without damaging it, and a few ideas for giving it a second life.First, knowing when to stopStop lighting the candle when about one centimetre of wax remains at the bottom of the glass: the flame, too close, would heat the base. This last centimetre is the only wax to remove. Our advice on how to burn a scented candle will help you reach it without tunnelling.Removing the wax: cold or gentle heatThe cold methodPlace the glass in the freezer for a few hours. As it cools, the wax contracts and comes away from the sides. Then slide the blade of a butter knife, never a sharp one, under the disc of wax: it lifts out in one piece. Let the glass return to room temperature before washing it, to avoid any thermal shock.The gentle-heat methodStand the glass on a tea towel and pour in hot tap water, up to a few centimetres from the rim. The wax melts, rises to the surface and sets as it cools: simply lift out the disc. Avoid boiling water, which the glass, especially when cold, would not tolerate well.Either way, throw the wax away with household waste, never down the sink: as it cools, it would harden in the pipes.The wick tab, then washingAt the bottom of the glass, a small metal disc held the wick. Lift it with the tip of the butter knife; if it resists, a little warm soapy water will loosen it. Then wash the inside with hot soapy water and a soft sponge: an abrasive scourer would scratch the glass. Rinse, then dry with a lint-free cloth. If you want to keep the label, wash the inside without immersing the glass.Eight second lives for a Tuscan jarA bud vase. The glass is watertight: a sprig of cypress, an olive branch, a few seasonal flowers.A brush pot on a dressing table, or a pencil pot on a desk.A jewellery box. Topped with a monogrammed glass lid, designed for our 240 g jars, the jar becomes a small box for rings and earrings.The ritual pot: matches, snuffer and wick trimmer, kept close to your candles.A tealight holder on a garden table or a windowsill.A plant pot cover for a small succulent, on a bed of clay pebbles, as the glass has no drainage hole.Bathroom storage for cotton pads and small bottles.A winter pot-pourri: dried flowers, bark, pine cones.One use to avoid: do not store food in a jar that has held scented wax, and do not drink from it.A jar designed to be refilledRefills for our candles are coming soon, in all six fragrances: so keep at least one jar close at hand.Glass, a material that lastsKeeping the jar extends the gesture of the glassmakers who shaped it. In a home, an object we keep ends up telling a story: the winter the candle burned, the birthday it was given, the fragrance it held. To begin the ritual again, discover our botanical candles, or our Scented Stones for a fragrance without a flame.Frequently asked questionsHow do you remove wax from a candle jar? Place the glass in the freezer for a few hours, then lift out the disc of wax with a butter knife. You can also pour in hot tap water, which brings the wax up to the surface.Can a candle jar go in the dishwasher? First remove all the wax and the wick tab. We then recommend washing by hand, which is gentler on the glass and on the label.Are Maison Monravel jars refillable? Yes: our jars are designed to be reused and refilled. Refills are coming soon, in all six fragrances.
