How To Make Scented Wax Tarts for Air Freshening

I make DIY wax tarts in many different scents to cover any funky smells in our old house. Making them saves money and ensures the ingredients are natural.

Like wax tarts? Check out these bug-repelling wax melts!

My sister loves wax tarts. We live together in an old house that sometimes has funky smells in it. She combats this by using wax tarts, or melts, as they are sometimes called. But they can get to be expensive and are usually made from paraffin. I made some from beeswax and soy wax and she loves them!

Wax Tart Melter

There are several types of wax melters available. The most common one is a plug-in type like this which relies on a small bulb with electricity to power it. These are almost always ceramic, although I have seen some glass ones. There is also a ceramic one like this that has a space in the bottom for a tea light candle and a well at the top for the wax to melt into. If you choose the candle powered one, be sure to get one with a deeper well. These are really made for dispersing essential oil scents into a room, but they can work very nice for wax tarts if the well is deep enough. They come in many sizes, colors, and shapes.

Types of Wax to Use

Soy Wax and Beeswax

For wax tarts to melt well, they need to be softer, so 100% beeswax doesn’t work as well as a blend. And on the other end of the spectrum, soy wax can often be too soft, as it melts very fast. I make a blend of the two.

Other Wax Types

Other types of wax, such as bayberry or myrtle wax, could work well as they are softer, but not too soft. The idea is that as the wax slowly melts, the scent is released into the room. If the wax melts too fast, too much oil can be released at once, making the scent weaker later. This can be especially true of essential oils which tend to evaporate rather quickly.

Wax Tart Molds

Finding your molds is easy. They are available on Amazon and other places online. You can also use ice cube molds and chocolate molds. I prefer silicone as some harder plastic molds may melt when you pour the hot wax in. I have one shaped like tiny hearts and another that looks like orange wedges. The end product, the wax tart itself, needs to be kept on the small side to make sure they don’t overfill the well.

Formulating You Wax Blend

All beeswax is different. Some beeswax is very soft while others are hard to the point of being brittle. You may need to experiment a bit to find the right blend. In general, this is what I use the below ratios.

Ingredients

• 5 ounces soy wax
• 2 ounces beeswax

Process

1. Being making your wax tarts by melting these two together.
2. When fully melted, pour into the mold, and let cool.
3. When the wax is cool put one unscented wax tart in your melter and turn it on. It should take ten minutes or so to melt. If it melts too quickly, remelt the cubes and add more beeswax.
4. Once you have the blend where you want it, it’s time to add the essential or fragrance oil. All oils are different, so the amount you add is subjective. For heavier smelling oils, like patchouli or cloves, add just a few drops. For lighter oils, like lemon or lavender, you may need 15-20 drops. When you add these, they will be cooler than the melted wax, so they may cause the wax to harden around the oil. Just stir it a few times and it will melt into the hot wax. Add more oil if needed.
5. Remember that the hot throw, the scent that you smell, will be stronger than the cold throw. And the hot throw is the scent that you are looking for. Many people have said that the scent fades after the wax cools, but it actually just becomes sequestered, or locked into the wax. Heating the wax will allow the scent to release.
6. Once your wax tarts cool store them in a glass jar. They will keep for a very long time if they are kept airtight.

Wax Tart Scent Combinations

I love earthy scents, so I go for more of a musky, spicy scent. But florals and citrus scents work well here too.

• Cinnamon, clove, and patchouli
• Red apple and cinnamon
• Orange and cinnamon
• Lavender and lemon
• Grapefruit and ylang-ylang
• Lavender and frankincense
• Lavender and mint

You can see that there are many scent combinations. Try a few to see what you like. These also make great holiday and birthday gifts!

Pets and Scents

One word of caution: some pets react badly to scents. If you are not sure if your pet has sensitivities, use in a room where they do not go or make the scent very light. You can also just rely on the natural warming honey scent of the beeswax by itself.

Have you made wax tarts? Let us know what your favorite scents are!

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