citronella candles
- Thread starter rapidboy
- Start date
-
Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
Citronella essential oil can be bought quite cheaply and you'll only need a few drops at a time.
Find plain ordinary candles of the right size and drip citronella oil on the wicks and put more oil on some cotton wool balls or pads. Then seal the candles with the oil soaked pads in something airtight. The oil will permeate the candles and work fine when you burn them.
If this is all a bit much of a footer just add a couple of drops to the pool of wax that forms on a lit candle (once you've blown it out!) and let the whole thing sit and permeate through as before.
I'm really not fond of citronella, I find it acrid, but bergamot which is much more pleasant seems to work the same way. Commercially it's more expensive though so we get told that citronella is better
cheers,
Toddy
Find plain ordinary candles of the right size and drip citronella oil on the wicks and put more oil on some cotton wool balls or pads. Then seal the candles with the oil soaked pads in something airtight. The oil will permeate the candles and work fine when you burn them.
If this is all a bit much of a footer just add a couple of drops to the pool of wax that forms on a lit candle (once you've blown it out!) and let the whole thing sit and permeate through as before.
I'm really not fond of citronella, I find it acrid, but bergamot which is much more pleasant seems to work the same way. Commercially it's more expensive though so we get told that citronella is better
cheers,
Toddy
Certainly it's not native, no idea if it would grow here.
Traditionally we use the Gale, (Bog Myrtle, myrica gale) for the same purposes.
I have it growing in tubs in my garden and to be honest it's a much nicer smell and every bit as effective.
cheers,
Toddy
Traditionally we use the Gale, (Bog Myrtle, myrica gale) for the same purposes.
I have it growing in tubs in my garden and to be honest it's a much nicer smell and every bit as effective.
cheers,
Toddy
Citronella essential oil can be bought quite cheaply and you'll only need a few drops at a time.
Find plain ordinary candles of the right size and drip citronella oil on the wicks and put more oil on some cotton wool balls or pads. Then seal the candles with the oil soaked pads in something airtight. The oil will permeate the candles and work fine when you burn them.
If this is all a bit much of a footer just add a couple of drops to the pool of wax that forms on a lit candle (once you've blown it out!) and let the whole thing sit and permeate through as before.
I'm really not fond of citronella, I find it acrid, but bergamot which is much more pleasant seems to work the same way. Commercially it's more expensive though so we get told that citronella is better
cheers,
Toddy
Thanks Toddy, must admit i don't like citronella but i do like it better than midgies so i thought id try.
There is some bergamot on ebay , does this sound right ?
"10ml BERGAMOT 100% PURE ESSENTIAL OIL"
That's the stuff 
, though one of the essential oil companies is selling real bog myrtle, myrica gale, which I suspect might be even better.
cheers,
M
pm incoming
, though one of the essential oil companies is selling real bog myrtle, myrica gale, which I suspect might be even better.cheers,
M
pm incoming
I never found them to work very well to be honest, I still prefer roll on DEET.
For you green types out there
eBay item
170318737263
For you green types out there
eBay item
170318737263
Toddy, It grows in the Ozarks quite well. It is a small understory tree, usually not over about 4 feet tall. I suspect, you might like it better if you could get the real thing. I mean there are really not that many of them and you can buy Citronella oil anywhere. It has got to be a synthetic.
The real thing smells like the stuff they sell, but milder and better. I just take a couple of leaves off of a bush as I pass by and rub it on my face and arms. It works quite well, but not as good as Deet.
I have found Pennyroyal to work well also.
It seems to be found mostly at the mouths of "hollows" or draws that are like small canyons that run up the sides of the mountains. These hollows or "hollers" as the old-time locals refer to them, are micro-biomes in their own right, and have a micro climate different that the surrounding area. (wamer in the winter, cooler and damper in the summer. )
The real thing smells like the stuff they sell, but milder and better. I just take a couple of leaves off of a bush as I pass by and rub it on my face and arms. It works quite well, but not as good as Deet.
I have found Pennyroyal to work well also.
It seems to be found mostly at the mouths of "hollows" or draws that are like small canyons that run up the sides of the mountains. These hollows or "hollers" as the old-time locals refer to them, are micro-biomes in their own right, and have a micro climate different that the surrounding area. (wamer in the winter, cooler and damper in the summer. )
That sounds exactly how we usually use the Gale, and it's a lovely scent
I make natural perfumes, and the differences in oils from plants grown in different areas is tremendous.
I think that most of the commercial *citronella* oil is actually from a grass like plant, cymbopogon nardus, while your shrubby tree sounds much more what I would have expected to be used.
It seems as though there's a good opportunity going to waste there for a wildcrafting essential oil maker
cheers,
Toddy
I make natural perfumes, and the differences in oils from plants grown in different areas is tremendous.
I think that most of the commercial *citronella* oil is actually from a grass like plant, cymbopogon nardus, while your shrubby tree sounds much more what I would have expected to be used.
It seems as though there's a good opportunity going to waste there for a wildcrafting essential oil maker
cheers,
Toddy
Citronella essential oil can be bought quite cheaply and you'll only need a few drops at a time.
Find plain ordinary candles of the right size and drip citronella oil on the wicks and put more oil on some cotton wool balls or pads. Then seal the candles with the oil soaked pads in something airtight. The oil will permeate the candles and work fine when you burn them.
If this is all a bit much of a footer just add a couple of drops to the pool of wax that forms on a lit candle (once you've blown it out!) and let the whole thing sit and permeate through as before.
I'm really not fond of citronella, I find it acrid, but bergamot which is much more pleasant seems to work the same way. Commercially it's more expensive though so we get told that citronella is better
cheers,
Toddy
Resurrected!
Toddy,
Do you think by putting a few drops of citronella oil on a cotton ball, and wrapping clingfilm around an ordinary candle, your method will work?
There is a group buy of the bushlite candles taking place at the moment, and I was wondering how long It takes for the citronella to penetrate the candle?
Clingfilm's funny stuff; the oil might rot it, depending on which kind of clingfilm it is. I know I wrapped Christmas candles in some and the red and green dye leached out of them, through the clingfilm, and stained the plastic box I'd put them away in.
It's got to be worth a try though. I think I'd aim to get the E.O. to soak into the wick and see if it would be absorbed into the candle from the inside out so to speak.
I found that I could scent candles very quickly just by putting the oil into the pool of melted wax, making sure it mixed and then blowing the candle out again. I put them away in a glass jar and left them until I needed them. The first one I tried had only had a couple of days soaking and it was noticeably 'scented' when burned.
I think there are a lot of variables; what is the candle made from, how warm is it being kept, which oil is to be added....
Interested to hear how you get on with it
atb,
M
It's got to be worth a try though. I think I'd aim to get the E.O. to soak into the wick and see if it would be absorbed into the candle from the inside out so to speak.
I found that I could scent candles very quickly just by putting the oil into the pool of melted wax, making sure it mixed and then blowing the candle out again. I put them away in a glass jar and left them until I needed them. The first one I tried had only had a couple of days soaking and it was noticeably 'scented' when burned.
I think there are a lot of variables; what is the candle made from, how warm is it being kept, which oil is to be added....
Interested to hear how you get on with it
atb,
M
TurboGirl
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I buy citronella oil from equine suppliers (and Stockholm tar too, it's a good commercial replacement for birch tar)- they come in much greater quantities for the money and I skin test anything I've made for application on my (very prone to reaction) skin, not had a problem yet
For this use, it'd be ideal and cheaper... Gosh I'm sooo cheap....
For this use, it'd be ideal and cheaper... Gosh I'm sooo cheap....
Last edited:
Plus 1 for this. think personally the bergamot works better you can also take a small drill to the candle lenght and drop a couple of drops of oil into the holes and reseal down the length dose not take long and works a treat. drill in about every inch along the length
Bob
Bob
Citronella essential oil can be bought quite cheaply and you'll only need a few drops at a time.
Find plain ordinary candles of the right size and drip citronella oil on the wicks and put more oil on some cotton wool balls or pads. Then seal the candles with the oil soaked pads in something airtight. The oil will permeate the candles and work fine when you burn them.
If this is all a bit much of a footer just add a couple of drops to the pool of wax that forms on a lit candle (once you've blown it out!) and let the whole thing sit and permeate through as before.
I'm really not fond of citronella, I find it acrid, but bergamot which is much more pleasant seems to work the same way. Commercially it's more expensive though so we get told that citronella is better
cheers,
Toddy
Last edited:
I go with Toddy's recommendation for bog myrtle. I learned that one from a Sami woman in Finland who showed me the local plant. I reckon it's a much nicer smell than citronella too. It's not the easiest essential oil to find, I get it from Amphora Aromatics (no connection other than as a customer) in Bristol.
Really interesting topic to read folks; thanks and subscribed!
Sent from my hidey hole using Tapatalk... sssh!
Sent from my hidey hole using Tapatalk... sssh!
I know it's said that bog myrtle ...the sweet gale.... is choosy about where it grows, but I grow it in a big pot in the garden and it seems to be quite happy. I just make sure it never dries out, and it's slowly getting bigger every year. I pick leaves and cones from it too, so it's not as though it's not in use, so to speak
Last time I bought the essential oil I got it from these folks who are based in Scotland.
https://www.totallyherby.com/oils/order.htm
I note they have clearance items just now....candles at half price for instance
That said, I do like and use Amphora Aromatics too
cheers,
M
Last time I bought the essential oil I got it from these folks who are based in Scotland.
https://www.totallyherby.com/oils/order.htm
I note they have clearance items just now....candles at half price for instance
That said, I do like and use Amphora Aromatics too
cheers,
M
Had a thought about this earlier; essential oils are actually better not burnt, but simply heated so that they vapourise. That's why the ceramic rings for around light bulbs work, and why the aromatherapy burners simply heat the oil from below.
I'm wondering if there's some easy way to put the oil onto something on the top of the lantern, or above the candle, that allows it to heat up but not run everywhere.
I have a silver pendant locket that holds little chalk tablets that are shaped to fit. I drop essential oil onto them and the heat from my body slowly releases the oil scent. It's meant for stuff like rose and jasmine, but I'm seriously tempted to try it out for the sweet gale too.
Several years ago Neil_1 gave me an oak leaf pendant that he'd carved from bark. It's a very beautiful bushcrafty bit of jewellery....I'm wondering if a wooden pendant would work like my chalk tablets in my silver locket
cheers,
M
I'm wondering if there's some easy way to put the oil onto something on the top of the lantern, or above the candle, that allows it to heat up but not run everywhere.
I have a silver pendant locket that holds little chalk tablets that are shaped to fit. I drop essential oil onto them and the heat from my body slowly releases the oil scent. It's meant for stuff like rose and jasmine, but I'm seriously tempted to try it out for the sweet gale too.
Several years ago Neil_1 gave me an oak leaf pendant that he'd carved from bark. It's a very beautiful bushcrafty bit of jewellery....I'm wondering if a wooden pendant would work like my chalk tablets in my silver locket
cheers,
M
Similar threads
