An Old Wax Melt Will Help You Out In The Kitchen Even After It Loses Its Scent

If you love candles, chances are you also have wax melts in the house. These convenient waxy cubes are an alternative to burning candle wicks since they release an inviting scent without the need to light a flame. Instead, the wax is heated and pools on a dish, scenting the room it's in. But if you have used it so many times that the scent has evaporated, don't toss it into the bin. Instead, you can reuse it by utilizing the wax to unstick stubborn drawers.

Everyone has that one drawer they have to yank to open. Whether it's part of a kitchen cabinet, in the island, or in the pantry, it takes some force to get it to roll. But rather than dealing with its faulty glide until you replace the unit, you can easily solve your problem with a little bit of wax. That's where your spent wax melt steps in.

Drawers stick for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes the wood swells when there is too much humidity or moisture in the room, causing the drawer to stick inside its opening. The runners can also have grime buildup, causing them to glue themselves in place. Whatever the reason, though, old wax melts might be able to help. All you have to do is rub the wax across the runners, which are the bars connecting the drawer to the cabinet, causing it to open and close. Make sure to apply the wax both to the drawer runner and its cabinet counterpart to cover all of your bases. This lubricates the slides, reducing the friction and allowing it to glide easier.

You don't have to melt the wax to do this or use any extra tools or products. All you need is a bit of wax applied with a rubbing motion, and your problem is solved.

It might seem too easy of a hack. How can just a bit of leftover wax help you solve a problem that has been bugging you for so long? The key is in the paraffin that's in the wax. It's a type of lubricant, which means it minimizes friction between two objects. That's why surfers, snowboarders, and skiers add paraffin wax to the underside of their boards — it helps them glide easier. The same concept is used here.

However, there is such a thing as too much wax, so be careful. You don't want to overcoat the slides, or else you can achieve the opposite effect and make your drawers stick even more. That's because it will create a tacky residue, creating more rather than less friction. If you think you applied too much, you can remove some of the wax using a paper towel or a small brush. Just watch the amount, and you'll keep your drawers stuck-proof.