Whenever using candles in emergency scenarios, I like to have a mirror behind it so I can enjoy 2 times the light. Also; a discarded glass microwave tray is great for placing lit candles on because it's tempered glass.
Love it! Mom had a little something that looked like 3 little mirrors taped together she put behind a candle to project the light forward, it could easily be made by using something like duct tape.
I would like to mention I always put those store-purchased jar candles on a plate, you never know if during shipping there is a hairline crack and I have had 1 in the hundreds I've burned break and leak, I was in the kitchen and heard a ping kind of noise as the candle burned near the bottom and couldn't figure it out and later there was candle wax running on to my beautiful wood coffee table. The chances are very slim but having it on a plate is always the safest option.
@@danielmorse4213 What a great idea, mom used to keep a loaf pan she spray painted black with sand and taper candles burning in her fireplace, she said it made her feel warmer, and we were getting used tapers at Goodwill and garage sales. I found a box from when we bought out all the Christmas red and green clearance candles for 7 cents each at CVS many years ago. Good times.
That happened to me with a store purchased candle and there was a label on the bottom of the glass container. Thank goodness I was nearby and heard it ,walked into the room and the label had caught fire. I had a nice little fire burning on the top of my rolltop desk. After that I (1) never bought those types of candles again and (2) always always always put something under it.
Thank you guys for another top notch video. I never throw anything away (waste) that may be turned into a tool. I have a five gallon bucket that holds olive oil that has gone rancid. This I use as fuel for homemade emergency lighting. I pour the oil halfway into a pickle jar, poke a hole into the very secure lid into which I have threaded an old COTTON shoelace. Once the oil has saturated the "wick" it burns as long as the fuel oil lasts. Just an idea I thought I would pass along. Take good care.
Thank you Brian! That is a WONDERFUL idea/tip!! And, maybe, who knows, life saving for someone? We don't know what this winter will be like for anyone, so always good to be prepared!!👍🙂
I was listening to this older podcast and reading comments. I was reading yours, burning olive oil I heard you need a special container to burn olive oil?
Thank you for stressing the safety issues with these types of candles. For my grandkids I purchased dollar store solar lights, stakes removed. They can be recharged daily and no danger of fires
Those lights are so handy, a friend used them in her screened-in porch, she staked them outside during the day and would pull them up and put them in coffee cans with sand in the evening while she sat outside, it made it very cozy.
@@bevintx5440 It depends on the lights my friend's lights are the cheap ones, so no you can't turn them on/off and they only last a few hours which suits her purpose of sitting out on the porch. There are lots of solar lights out there to choose from I'd try Amazon just to check them out, QVC and those channels will have them for their spring lineup, Lowes and Ace will also be bringing them out. I hope you can find some you like. Happy New Year.
This is a little off tangent... But one of the first things i do when preparing for a lights out sitch is to clean and organize. Because number one.... You are in your home probably and it is safe. You know where the bathroom is and everything else. So.... Clear walkways, remove trip hazards, organize cupboards and foods so you can find things... In the dark. Use daylight to pull it all together... Dont neglect to check security and draft opportunities. Do you have a can opener? Yay. Eat dinner before dark, snack lightly after dark. Its your house. Get to know it in the dark. Im not negating anything you have said. I appreciate every word.
This is a wonderful common sense suggestion. Even though many of us have common sense, we forget to use it.......or like me, over complicate simple steps because of the complexity of modern daily life. Great comment. Blessings to you and yours.
My single - patent mom was desperate to save money on electricity. She would turn off the main on the house for days at a time. I learned to navigate the whole house by feel. It's a great legacy.
Smart! I also have flashlights, candles (and lighters!) and solar lights spread strategically through the house. I also have solar and hand cranked phone chargers.
I’m so grateful to have you as my teacher even though I’m over 70 I’ve learned so much from you and especially about safety which I appreciate. Thank you both!
I have solar fairy lights in canning jars hanging in my window. They charge themselves everyday & automatically turn on at dusk. I love the look & enjoy the safety, best of all very little maintenance 🕯️
I have a 30ft run of them on my porch. Really enjoy them &been trying to figure how use tactfully in the house.i think the longest I've seen are 50ft. That's a good stretch of battery free light.
Not just children but think of pets as well walking by and knocking a candle over just never leave it unattended thank you for all that you do to help us be more educated
I came here to make the same comment. People don’t always think about their pups wagging knocking over a candle or curious kitties sniffing a flame. My cat scorched her whiskers once, I’m so grateful she didn’t get injured.
Yes - just this! We have emergency candles, but haven't ever used them, due to having cats. We have flashlights and batteries, plus rechargeable solar lights. My father is on O2, so we usually get prioritized for getting power back quickly. Unfortunately, if there is a major catastrophe and power goes out for more than 24 hours, we'll probably end up at a hospital. (We live in the middle of a big city.)
I'm so happy to see someone talking about safety in using candles. They can be so dangerous, and before you know it, you're left with a nasty burn or your house is gone. Thank you.
FYI for moms I have a dozen $1 solar lights in the emergency box. For the kids. You can leave them unattended in places like the bathroom. They can give kids a real boost of confidence if they are used to a nightlight.
We use those as well. For an added, boost of light, my husband took a recycled food jar with a metal lid and drilled a hole in the center of the lid. If u dismantle the solar light, u end up with a short cylinder with a bulb on the end. Put the bulb thru the hole in the lid and add a dab of glue to hold in place. The solar panel is on top and the bulb is inside the jar. You can add some glass marbles, water or tin foil in the bottom of the jar to create more light refraction. I hope that made sense. We put several together when gathering donations for hurricane survivors left without power for an extended time.
This is EXACTLY the method I decided upon when I did my own research, down to the type of beeswax candles I used as wicks! I have to say, it is quite the ego booster when my own research lines up with yours. 😁😜 Thanks for the wonderful information, as always!
@@RoseRedHomestead I also started making them as you do. I couldnt understand dirtying up a bunch of dishes. Its too simple for a min or 2 in the microwave! I've also warned people about NOT using the crisco can as many people do. Its not rocket science that the can is not metal but simply cardboard and foil.If it was metal it would cost a small fortune to buy it!!
Same, Amy! I've got the same beeswax candles ready to be used as Crisco wicks. Well, knockoff of Crisco (Kroger?), but who cares as it's definitely *not* food!
Im following the plan you ladies have made and making some of these! I do have one question, can one of you. please list the name, of the bee's wax push in candles? I have no idea how to find those, and they seem to be the top pick to use. Can you please help me with this part? Thank you in advance! Blessings, Fran from North Dakota
I was a child when my Great Great Aunt Laura died in a fire. She still wore multiple petticoats and walked too close to her stove.... I too have a VERY healthy respect for open flames. Thank you for the tutorial!!!!
I just found your channel. I love your facts and no fluff demeanor. I just bought a bunch of Crisco to make the candles and was Very ignorant as to how to go about doing that. I'm so grateful for finding this post. I care for my 92 year old mother, we live in the mountains and have numerous days in the winder with no electricity. Take care and I'll be watching and waiting for your next informative and possible life saving post.
I am from south Florida where hurricanes would take out the electricity yearly for at least a few days, I would leave a candle such as you have made lite through the night, but it was put in the bathtub, lighting the bathroom enough for using it, if it did tip over, I had wax in the tub but it was safe. Thank you for the video.
here in Maine -if a bad storm is coming,we fill our tubs with water. So I just use old pans I buy on yard sales that have a good 1-2" lip,like roaster pans..
When I told my older sister about Crisco candles, the first thing she said was, "That sounds like a big ole safety hazard. That's a real good way to burn your house down". Now I can use the Crisco I bought. Thank you.
I absolutely LOVE that you read and consider the comments. Your research and recommendations are accurate ( my friends say nerdy😁. I nerd out n research also) I just love that you try it out and show what works and doesn't. Thank you
Thank you! I have watched so many of these RU-vid videos and been scared by the lack of safety. I also decided to use my squat halfpint canning jars but have been befuddled as to what to use as a wick. Beeswax skinny tapered candle, perfect! I can so much in the squat halfpints and jelly jars, as they are perfect size for 1. So there is a dozen jars on shelf, waiting to be turned into grid down emergency lighting. Many many thanks. 💚 Edited to add a side comment. Power in Albuquerque, NM, tends to go out a few times a year, sometimes for several hours and once, all evening. I used my garden solar lights for lighting and took some to a dark house neighbor (I found out the batteries in my emergency lantern were no longer good!). I cooked my dinner (well, heated up one of my canned jar meals) in my fondue pot, over a sterno can. It really is nice to be grid down prepared!
Darn it! I just gave away a fondue pot to Goodwill because I never make fondue anymore. Now I’m going to have to go buy the thing back so I’m prepared for emergencies. What a brilliant idea.
You are a great storyteller, too. I love listening to your stories. You remind me of good people I've been privileged to have known throughout my life. I'm gonna look pretty silly today, trying to tip over all my candles to see if they're safe :)
Thank you for your great information about candles & safety. As the candles burn, another safety measure is to always keep the wicks trimmed to 1/4th of an inch. With pillar candles burning for the first time, after trimming wick, it needs to burn a minimum of 2 hrs. This allows the wax to burn down more evenly, without tunneling around wick. Scented candles sometimes burn hotter than unscented. When blowing out, cup your hand behind candle, then on opposite side gently blow out. NEVER lean over candle to blow out as hot wax can sometimes splatter. When a jar candle has burned down where the metal clip holding the wick is visible, the wax creates a hot spot & can crack or burst the glass. Perhaps, the most important point is if there is a fire, DO NOT PUT WATER ON IT---that can cause a worse fire with hot wax blowing everywhere, spreading the fire. To put out a wax fire, as with grease fires, simply smother it with candle lid or anything to stop air getting to it. No Air, No flame. Lastly, place candles carefully, away from draft, fabric (curtains), silk or artificial plants or paper/books & NEVER leave unattended. If glass holder is hot, the cold air rushing in an opened door can cause the hot glass to crack or shatter, especially dangerous if on a coffee table or low table where children are. Their eyes & faces are closer to the candle. With a few simple precautions, candlelight can be safely enjoyed or used as a necessity. I just saw an article recently about a lady getting burned throwing water on a wax fire, so it's been on my mind & wanted to share.
Another tip as this happened to a friend, they were sent a beautiful holiday bouquet with three candle sticks. They lit them and had it burning and then all of sudden her dining room table was on fire. The hot wax and flame caught the evergreens on fire. Thankfully she had enough people in the house it didn't go to far and the quick thinking of a couple of guests saved her dining room. Just had to have her table refinished. I received a bouquet this year with one fat round tall candle in it surrounded by evergreens and bows. I dug the center of the candle out large enough to fit a battery-operated tea light in it. it looked great I do not use candles in my house. Seen to many accidents with neighbors and friend. I have several battery-operated lanterns. I store them without the battery in them I keep them separate with the lantern. And switch out batteries 2 times a year to keep them fresh, also you can take an empty gallon milk jug fill it with water and place a flashlight behind it and it will give you a lot of light. Think Safety first, great video on this subject
You posted this at the perfect time for me. I was going to get the things I needed tomorrow to make my Crisco candles tomorrow. I was planning on shoving 3- 10" candles down in a can of Crisco and calling it good-to-go. Thank you for doing this research for me. Happy New Year!
I wish we had these crisco candles during the Texas polar vortex last year. It was really dark so I lit my little tea candles and let them burn all night in the areas we were staying. I bought the glass container for them which made them seem safe enough. I think it's important to have some light for sanity sake if anything during these events. It was practical for us as well. We burned every candle we had in the house actually. I think light is necessary and now I'm going to make these candles. : ) Thank you very much for this video.
carboful: I cannot even begin imagine what last year's winter Texan grid down was like. (If I remember correctly, in some cases for weeks.) Yes, we agree, some light is essential--preferably, full light--to maintain sanity. On the other hand, candles are important, and need to be of some source of heat. Jim
I’m glad you’re on RU-vid. Content creators with actual life experience are in short supply. I’ll subscribe and check out your other content in the evenings. Thanks.
You remind me of my grandmother when I was younger. We grew up in the country and we learned all the life saving things these kids need to be learning these days. But unforchantly they will die because they don't know these things. My kids learned from me and they will teach thier youngins as well. Thank you for passing the things you do on.
I did the same thing but used cheap birthday cake candles! Found a couple of boxes in a "catch everything drawer" and I hate to throw anything away if its usable. 😆
Omg this has become by favorite channel! She could teach people in ALASKA , how to live in the rural areas! I love her! She’s so smart & entertaining! & such a great teacher!!!!
WOW…just found your channel. I am impressed with the way you explain why you do what you do. (What works) I liked your analogy of the tipping of the candle. I sure wish we had more strong women like you. I am SUBSCRIBED!!! 🫡 💪 🇺🇸
When my kids were little the only place I would have a candle was on the stove. It was on a non flammable surface, away from the kids and it being on a stove meant that we always associated that surface with heat thus were more careful. There was only one place to make sure nothing was left burning, a moms attention can be pulled in many directions.
I love your sarcasm Pam, "Bit Whoop!" lol - This scares me "Spitless!" I love you! Thank you for all the safety information and proper ways to do things info. You and your hubby are awesome!
Great video. Our rule has always been that if the candle flame is lit, then you don't leave the room. If you lit it, you're responsible for it. You are the one who doesn't leave and has to blow the candle out before leaving the room. Great safety tips.
Thank you for reminding us that just because we CAN do something doesn’t mean that we SHOULD I saw a video about making a candle using lamp oil inside a plastic mini whisky bottle.- yes it works, but as you pointed out, the center of gravity makes it unsafe to do so. I know this won’t address need for heat in an emergency, but simply inverting s cheap cob battery powered flashlight on top of any translucent jug makes a safe lantern. I tried it with a sealed gallon of water- lots of light. I used a recycled vinegar jug- filled with water and capped with a green lid. Huge glow stick! Safe & uses things already in my cupboards. I might try sinking a real glow stick jug- as another experiment. As others have said- putting a mirror nearby doubles the lumens. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for this video. Your instructions are much better than other advisory channels. I saved one of my old pans and set the lighted candle container in it. If the glass jar breaks the molten wax is contained in the pan. The pan is only put on the stove out of reach of little hands and away from walls and curtains. The other safe place I would put the pan holding the lighted candle would be the fireplace. My candle disaster was when one of those nice big jar candles burned about halfway down the heat from the hot wax cracked the glass. The molten wax flowed all over the bathroom counter and down the side of the wood cabinet. That was an expensive repair project.
Thank you for this teaching. Growing up in The Bronx, NY in the seventies there were allot of fires. My mom would use an old cooking pot with a little water and place a glass candle inside. Sometimes she would place the candle inside the sink for safety reason.
We have battery operated tea lights in a drawer in every room. Surprisingly, gives off pretty good light when lights go out. Non dangerous if you are clumsy n tired and will allow you to safely get you to whatever other emergency things you have to get to. I love these helpful videos. Your good heart and smarts are appreciated! Thank you so much!
I enjoy your practical and logical advice. I know for a fact that candles left alone can definitely be dangerous. I had a friend who left a candle unattended in her apartment and almost lost her dog in a fire. Luckily for her, the fire managed to only damage a small portion of her studio apartment before the firemen arrived in time.
Thank heaven you made a video about this! I saw one where a woman had three (!) tapers stuck into a large can of Crisco and was beyond excited that it would burn for days on end. Common sense obviously isn't so common these days. Heaven help these poor souls who don't understand how dangerous this kind of "preparedness" is. Looking forward to more videos on this subject. ~ Lisa
I’ve been watching all these survivalist videos about Crisco candles with plant pots turned over on top of them to heat your house so I really appreciate your video, more grounded in reality and with safety precautions. It’s good to know that a safe version with common sense attention is possible. I lose electricity usually several times a year so a few Crisco candles stashed in my fridge will come in handy. Thanks for posting.
Wow, I really learned a lot about safety questions that I had. I saw people making candles straight out of those cardboard Crisco containers. Very dangerous.
The burning hair brought back memories.Never forgot the time when while I was in a high school chem lab I leaned over the bunson burner and singed my hair!What a stink that was.Thanks for all your work and research.
My daughter-in-law leaned over the table and got too close to the candle. But she had a lot of product in her hair and it went up like a fireball. Thank God we were close enough to smother it with a napkin, but it caught fast. So if you wear product in your hair really be careful. It could’ve been disastrous. As it is she just had to go get a haircut because it burned about 3 inches before we could even react.
You are a riot! I've seen another crisco candle maker who drops the container of crisco in a tall metal vase. Yes, I think it's dangerous as well. I love watching your videos. Safety is priority. Thank you Rose! 💗
Thank you ..I’ll be making these candles soon. When I lost power in my house for 14 days after a hurricane I used Sternos to cook on..I put a grate on the Sternos and cooked away. This video made me think of that.
I have done 3 or 4 experiments with ones and also melted in the can I wanted. The biggest problem I've faced is that all the shortening melts and then my wick falls over and goes out. To solve the tall can/jar issue - I've had good success with Izzy cans that are tall and skinny. Before lighting, I take a mason jar, put enough sand in the bottom to give it weight, and make sure the can can't knock over. This saves my jars for canning and uses what we'd put out for recycling. Your experiments with different numbers of wicks are certainly going to be my next try! I started to use these in our little greenhouse tent to extend the growing season so it goes down into a hole in the dirt with a terra cotta lining for safety rather than sitting up on the surface. Thank you for making a video on this! I have watched many videos on the Crisco candle and have had many of the same issues you mention. The flash fires and pouring hot Crisco especially.
Wonderful! I have seen fools on RU-vid making stand-alone Cristco "candles" , just stacking up a pile of shortening with a taper in the middle! If all of that should melt and catch on fire, I can't imagine what would happen. My oldest son is a firefighter and he is horrified by any open flame. I use candles when we have power outages, but I never have an open flame; I pick up chimneys at thrift shops and put them over any candles that I use. Also, you can put them into a tall vase. I always have them on a flat surface, in the middle of a table or counter. I never leave the room with a candle burning; anything can happen, (even if a cat jumps on the table), and they are always on a non-combustible surface. (I had honey-blond hair and our family friends' sons called me Goldilocks, too!)
Miss Rose, I experimented with several jars. I found that like you the half-pints were excellent, and also the WIDE MOUTH PINTS are also! Easy to reach in to re-light, not easily tipped, light comes out through glass, and the glass is canning jar safe! (The pressure canner goes up to over 260 degrees.) No smoke, No odor, and as far as I can figure, SAFE! Don't put hot oil and glass in the freeezer!!! Be patient and let it cool at room temperature! Plan ahead before there is any bad weather!
Another valuable video - thanks. I love candles! I always used to take the tea lights out of their metal shell and place them in glass tea light holders. All the candles burning really used to help heat up the room in winter. But one day our cat’s tail hot scorched from a candle - that scared us and we don’t burn candles anymore 😔. And now we actually have two indoor flying tornadoes! I bought two UCO candeliers on Amazon for emergencies. I like that they are contained. I love the idea someone mentioned about putting the candles in the bathtub! Even our frequent earthquakes couldn’t mess with those 😆
Thank you for stressing the safety aspect. My grandfather was a boy in the early years of the last century. When he was about 10 or even younger, his parents would leave him alone for the weekend. My great-grandfather was a preacher, and he would be invited to preach somewhere, and he would go off with his wife and leave the poor kid alone. Grandpa was not afraid of being alone, except at night, he said. When he had to carry the lit lamp up the stairs, he was always so scared he would drop it, and there would be an oil fire that would burn the house down. Many decades later he described how he imagined that the oil lamp would fall down and break, and the fire would blaze up and down the stairs, setting the house on fire. Thank God it never happened.
Great story--thank you for sharing. So glad that never happened and it probably didn't because he was always mindful of what could happen. A great lesson there!
I so love your caution! I choose to use a quart jar half candle, leaving the flame down inside the jar. Putting the flame in a protected space. Love you guys! God Bless you for educating with kindness and care😘
I bought the Crisco and tapers and just didn’t finish. I love what you’ve researched and shown! Thank you! (Also, the house next door to us did burn down due to a candle several years ago.)
These survival tips you've shared are wonderful! Love this idea! I'm definitely going to stock up and make these. Safely should always be thought about. Thank you Rose. Missouri Wrightchk
I am going to do make these next weekend. This is the best video I've seen for crisco emergency candles! Your awesome!! Thank you for your education videos.
Thank you so much - I find you the most trustworthy of all food preppers thank you so, so much. I just ordered the beeswax tapers and will follow your great and detailed instructions to make my emergency candles when they arrive!
Thank you! Just ordered the candles, jars, and crisco to make these. I have been avoiding the project due to safety concerns but this video really helped.
Greatly appreciate you in explaining the safety rules and proper way of making these crisco candles. You are amazing. Thanks for your time in sharing this most needed information. I’m excited about making these. Peace and Love ❤️
Hello, thanks for spreading this info from a safety perspective. Candles shouldn’t be power burned for days on end. The limit is 3-4 hours. Just burn one candle for the max, extinguish after 4 hours, and immediately light the second candle, if you need candles burning all day. 😊
I went through a grease fire in the kitchen as a young teenager. Thankfully the damage was very minimal . lots of scrubbing and new paint to correct my mistake. I am very leery of candles and to be honest, deep frying, whenever I do burn a candle, I make sure it is a small one in a glass container and then sit it on top of a tempered glass or metal container where any heat will not go downwards as well. I am always mindful as to where and how I set a candle down. once a fire experience, the fear always sets in, and safety is always a constant thought. Thank you for your research on this type of candle.
As a survivor of 2 separate apartment house fires in two separate homes in a 2 1/2 year time period, candles make me very, very nervous. (both were caused by other tenants and 1 was due to a candle being knocked over accidentally) People have to be SO, SO careful. You give REAL world advice that is SPOT ON!!👍👍. TY! TY’
Diane: We are sorry to read about the fires your homes. Yes, we attempt to make people aware of the danger of open flame sources of heat and the damage one can cause. Thanks for watching our channel. Jim
This is interesting. I just watched a video where the person pushed a candle down in a Crisco container. The first thought I had was "aren't those containers cardboard now? ". I was raised with oil lamps and have one for every room in my house plus I bought a lantern from Lehman's that you can heat food on. My daughter brought me some shepherds lamps from Turkey when she was stationed there so I have all kinds of lighting possibilities. To me candles are the most dangerous. Fires can start so easily and can burn so fast they can't be put out.
I have many Aladdin Lamps. I use to collect them. Most of them are packed away in the attic but I keep several in working order around my house. They put out exponentially more light than candles and they’re very efficient. There are clean lamp oils available to burn in them. Of course, you can burn k-1 kerosene in them also if that’s all you can get.
I'm so happy I came on this info from you. I was fixin to make some of those crisco candles. I would have been doing them the wrong way if I hadn't have found your lesson. Thank you so so much
We’ve been married 15 years, but I remember we accidentally let a candle burn overnight on our honeymoon. It was in a glass jar, but it still really shook me that we were careless enough to let that happen. Here I remember it 15 years later. Smoke often doesn’t wake people up. What if there was a fire and the smoke detectors didn’t work. Scary!!!
I’ve been collecting small heavy crocks and glass trays from my old microwaves to place my Crisco candles (out of container of course) in and on for the best possible safety outcome. Hopefully I’ll never have to use them but if I do I’ll have them!
I'm beyond grateful to have found your videos. It's wonderful to have someone who focuses so directly on safety in everything. I had seen some prepping/canning/preservation videos that looked intriguing, but after hearing your evidence and advice I will NEVER follow them. Thank you so much for providing such a valuable service.
This was excellent! Thank you so much for this! I am so glad that you are reminding people to use some wisdom when doing things like this and that you showed the safe way to do it.
I’ve been researching clay pot stoves and Crisco candles. You always make the most sense and make safety a top priority. Thanks so much. Look forward to more videos.
