While flashlights are usually enough to give light when the power goes out, having a hefty supply of emergency candles on hand can keep the strain off your devices and help save battery. However, most store-bought candles only last for about six hours and could topple easily, making it quite the fire hazard. Thankfully, you can get as much light as you want for a fraction of the price by making a DIY candle that could last for a hundred hours. (h/t to UrbanSurvivalSite.com)
Surviving an emergency may involve creativity in handling the situation, and making your own candle allows for quite a bit of room for creativity. While you can always stock up on flashlights, lanterns and batteries to keep the light up wherever you go, a little extra variation wouldn't hurt. You can customize how long a candle burns and be creative with the materials you use, allowing you to use whatever you have around the house.
How to make your own 100-hour long candle
Making your own candles at home is significantly more cost-efficient than bulk buying them from the store. This DIY candle also lasts significantly longer than store-bought ones, giving you a long-lasting light for long-term scenarios like a blackout. The process is also simple enough that it wouldn't take you an entire day to make your own.
What you need:
- A typical tall, white candle
- A glass jar about an inch taller than the white candle
- A screw-on lid (for when you aren't using it)
- Any kind of vegetable fat or shortening, excluding lard
Procedure:
- Measure enough shortening or fat to fill the jar, then melt it all in a saucepan. Stir the fat over low heat until completely melted. If prefer, you can add some essential oils into the mixture. For example, lavender or eucalyptus essential oils are perfect for repelling mosquitoes. You can also use other combinations of essential oils if you so desire.
- In a separate pot, bring some water up to a boil, then pour it into the jar. This process preheats the jar and makes it less likely to crack when the searing melted fat is poured in. Then, pour the water out and dry the jar thoroughly.
- Once the fat is completely melted, let it cool off for about 10 minutes. Afterward, carefully pour the contents into the glass jar until about an inch of space is left at the top.
- Let the jar of fat cool down until it solidifies, but not hard enough that it would be difficult to push in the candle.
- Gently push the candle into the fat until it reaches all the way to the bottom. Then, let the entire jar cool off once more – you can place it outside or in the fridge.
- Use the handle of a spoon to carve a moat in the fat around the candle then smooth it out with your fingers. When the candle is lit, the wax would melt into this moat and build up. This will help the candle burn more slowly, giving it its 100-hour longevity.
If you ever find yourself in need of an emergency light, making your own 100-hour candle can be a good light source in any survival situation. For more stories on survival gear and other DIY projects, visit SurvivalGear.news.
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