Let’s Recycle Ikea Stuff

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I enjoy recycling. Paper goods, cardboard boxes, aluminum cans…I do my part to save the planet one piece of rubbish at a time. Sometimes I come across a product I LOVE to recycle. In this case, it's Ikea Tindra Candles. I buy them 6 at a time in the apple green color/scent (because the white smells like cookies or frosting, yuck). They're $1.99 each. I know what you're thinking. This blog has turned completely thrifty. First the dollar store, now this.

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Stay with me here for just a minute. After I burn them, I put them in the freezer for a day or more if I forget. When I take them out, the wax residue easily pops out.
Then I scrub the stuck on bits and put them in the dishwasher.

They're a nice heavy weight glass tumbler and are perfect for morning lattes because they keep your coffee nice and warm. I also use them for ice cream, fruit & yogurt breakfast parfaits and the occasional glass of wine. And because I have plenty of them, I can use them for parties without worrying about someone breaking them….or the bank!  

40 Responses to “Let’s Recycle Ikea Stuff”

  1. Jill Flory

    Cool! Now I’m off to IKEA to get some – hopefully soon:)
    Great tip – and no worries here if your blog turns thrifty! That is the best way to have great stuff:)

  2. Angie

    Great idea. And now I’m craving chocolate ice cream. I guess it’s just the right serving size in those votive holders.

  3. Sherri

    Heather I do the same thing with my blue Lonsboda candle glasses!{Banana Pudding is our favorite} Don’t you LOVE Ikea?
    They pretty much have everything, and I love the fact most all of the designers are new, modern and fresh. Simple, clean. It’s one of my favorite shopping spots. Happy Thursday!

  4. Lisa~Polka Dot Pound Cake

    I see a rush for these…IKEA will not know what hit them. 🙂
    Love repuposing {glass} I have jam jars all over the house!
    Will put this on my list! Thanks.

  5. Steph.

    That is a gorgeous photo vignette with the ice cream, Heather!!!
    YAY, I am a huge fan of the REuse in the R’s (refuse (extra stuff-esp plastic), reduce, reuse, recycle, rot).

  6. LPiccione-Volger

    Great idea! Its refreshing to hear how to make money stretch and not be wasteful! When we save on some of the simple things we have more for other things. I love it!

  7. Becky C

    What a great idea. Your photos are gorgeous of the ice cream! IKEA does have some fab prices…it’s funny, I just posted about using a white throw from IKEA to hang from chicken feeders as a curtain. Check it out, if you get a chance 🙂
    Have a great weekend, Heather!

  8. Monica

    I use them for bulbs or tealights too 😉
    Your idea is so clever, never thought of using them as actual ‘glasses’… thanks!

  9. teresa

    Perfect wonderful idea- wish IKEA was closer….but now I have something new on my list when I go.
    Happy day

  10. shannon

    Now I am really wanting some ice cream….rocky road to be exact! Great idea to recycle the candles and use them for party desserts. I’ll have to check out that apple scent candle next time I’m at Ikea 😉

  11. Kim

    I use them for the same thing! My mom is always complaining that they don’t make small juice glasses anymore, so I’m saving them up to give them to her as a set!

  12. morningt

    I do the same thing with these Heather, too funny. We use them for juice glasses. 😉 I was just at the dollar store looking for your cute napkins but to no avail.
    xo~
    T

  13. abby

    I wasn’t sure where you were going with this when I saw the ice cream photo and you were talking about recycling. This is a brilliant idea! Very clever.

  14. Debe

    I am with you on this. I save glass containers from candles all the time. Some of them are just too good to toss into recycling! Just wanted to say…I used the $.99 napkins/floor cloths for our family fajita dinner on Sunday. Everyone LOVED them. They are such a good size & so absorbent! They were surprised at the source. Thanks for that tip!

  15. Jenny

    I’ve never been to an IKEA store – it’s over an hour drive! I checked several dollar stores in our area for the smart napkins… alas to no avail!

  16. Lisa

    fabulous tip…I like the little thrify ideas that don’t look thrifty.
    Oh…and added a search to my blog…thanks for the tip.

  17. Jewel

    I love these IKEA candles! I have been using the glass to store my some of my crafting things like buttons and embellishments. Love the ice cream idea, that will be next! I just moved to Singapore and am hoping that the IKEA here sells these candles! If not, will have to stash some in my suitcase next time I visit home.

  18. Jennifer

    Great idea! I did not know that the freezer was such a great method for removing wax residue.

  19. Sarah

    I love this idea but have a question – how do you know if the glass is food-safe? A lot of times I buy really pretty candle holders or other display vessels and they are marked “not for food use.” Can you assume it is unless marked otherwise? Thanks!

  20. Janj

    Oh don’t worry about being thrifty. Being thrifty in some areas helps a to splurge in other areas like antiques and well more antiques…just my take.

  21. Lisa

    I have a bunch of these too that the candle have burned down on, I never thought of reusing them for something like that! What a great idea!!

  22. Linda

    Used those all the time in East Asia. They made nice easy to hold glasses, not too small, not too big! Nice glasses were hard to find.
    I also love, love the oval two wick Yankee candle glass holder for vases. They are the perfect height and shape for dining table arrangements. Chrck out some of my posts for a visual. Roses look especially dramatic in them.

  23. northstatemortgage@sbcglobal.net

    I do the exact same thing with those candles! It’s the perfect double duty item…and also the perfect serving size for some ice cream!
    (I have 16 in my cabinet and 3 candles currently in use, overboard?! Perhaps.)

  24. Angela

    I’m fortunate enough to have all ways lived about half an hour from Ikea (Vancouver, Canada). Ikea is wonderful! Those candles are inexpensive, come in so many scents and two sizes. I bought the vanilla and cranberry at Christmas and LOVED them. The glass containers are lovely for small flower arrangements too!

  25. Marianne

    Great idea! I will buy some next time when I visit Ikea. You should send this idea to Ikeahacker.

  26. tanya rogers

    love these candles too, however, ikea doesn’t offer them on their website, bummer! but totally worth the hour drive to get some 1.99 candles!

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