3 DIY Emergency Candles You Can Make With Household Items

Picture this: The power goes out and you go to your emergency kit to find a light source. But lo and behold, you're fresh out of batteries for your flashlight or lantern (great timing). Don’t panic just yet: You can easily make your own candles out of items you likely have around your home.

We chatted with two survival and outdoor experts, who gave us three simple methods to making candles in a pinch (including your own wicks). Staying safe just got simpler.

Why Would You Need to Make a DIY Candle?

If you live in an area that’s prone to inclement weather or blackouts, having a backup light source is essential. And as outdoorswoman Amanda Capritto explains, being able to improvise a candle from common household items is a valuable survival skill that can keep you safer and calmer when unexpected emergencies happen. 

How Long Do Homemade Candles Burn?

Depending on the fuel and the heat-proof container you chose, a medium-sized jar filled with wax can burn for up to 30 hours, shares Capritto. If you’re using shortening or oil, prepare for your candle to burn faster; you can expect a few hours of light. 

Emergency Candle Method 1: Crayons

Jeremy Gocke, CEO of Entropy Survival, swears by using a spare crayon as a DIY candle. You can even watch a video of this method here.

Ready to make one yourself? Here’s what you’ll need and how to assemble it.

Materials Needed:

• Box of crayons
• Lighter or matches
• Base (e.g., a heat-safe dish or candle holder)
• Scissors or a knife

Instructions:

1. Grab a crayon from the box. Pinch off the top, leaving you with just the bottom portion.
   
2. Repeat the process three to four more times (for multiple candles).
   
3. Holding the crayon by the bottom, use your lighter to gently melt the top of the crayon.
   
4. Once the top is melted, stick the crayon to your base.
   
5. Hold the crayon on the base for 10 to 15 seconds to allow it to stick properly. Repeat on other bases with each crayon.
   
6. Once the crayon is stuck to the base, light the top of the crayon. It should burn slowly for hours.

Emergency Candle Method 2: Shortening

Capritto says you can use shortening (or an animal fat of some kind) to create a super easy candle with ingredients found in your kitchen. Here’s how.

Materials Needed:

• Vegetable shortening
• Heat-safe container
• Candle wick (or homemade wick)
• Lighter or matches
• Scissors
• Pencil, chopstick, or skewer

Instructions:

1. Grab your heat-safe container and add your vegetable shortening so it’s about halfway full.
2. Using your pencil, chopstick, or skewer, poke a hole in the middle of your shortening for the wick.
3. Place your wick into the hole. Press shortening around the wick to keep it in place.
   
4. Leaving about a fourth of an inch of the wick above the surface, trim off the excess.
   
5. Carefully light the wick using your lighter. 

Emergency Candle Method 3: Orange Peels

“Citrus peels actually make great little single-use candles if you hollow them out and pour in some wax or oil,” Capritto says. “The key is making sure the peel won’t warp too much under heat and that it can stand safely on a flat surface.”

Materials Needed:

• A large orange (or any citrus fruit)
• Spoon
• Sharp knife
• Olive oil
• Lighter or matches

Instructions:

1. Cut the orange in half around the middle of the fruit, keeping the peel intact.
   
2. Using your spoon, scoop out the insides of the orange. Make sure to leave the peel halves intact.
   On one half, ensure the white stem-like pith in the center of the orange stays attached (this will act as your wick).
   
3. Pour olive oil into the peeled half with the ‘wick’ so it’s about halfway full. Ensure all but the top part of the "wick" is coated with olive oil.
   
4. Light the "wick" with your lighter or matches.
   

How to Make a DIY Candle Wick

DIY'ing your own candle wicks is easier than you think, says Capritto. You really only need three materials to get the project done in an emergency (or in a pinch). Here’s the quick process:

Materials Needed:

• 100% cotton string, twine, or strips of cotton fabric (old t-shirts work well)
• Scissors
• Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Cut the cotton string or strip of t-shirt to about 6-8 inches. If possible, twist or brain multiple strands of string or t-shirt strips together for a sturdier wick.
   
2. Dip the 'wick' into the olive oil, leaving about half an inch dry at the top.
   
3. Let the wick sit for 10 minutes to absorb the fuel.