How To: 11 Crazy Useful Things You Can Do with a Candle

Originally made using whale fat, candles first appeared over 2,200 years ago as a means of illumination. From the 1st century up until the 19th century, candles were primarily made using beeswax or tallow, and aside from providing light, were used as a method of keeping time.

Today, candles are made primarily of paraffin wax and are used more ubiquitously, marking your age on a birthday cake or as a clichéd housewarming gift that sits unused somewhere on a shelf or in a closet.

Now's the time to wipe the dust off all your unused candlesticks and put them to good use—like unsticking your stuck zipper, fixing the end of your shoelace, making your snow shovel more efficient, and water-proofing your handwritten mailing labels on packages.

Want to cut onions without looking like you had the worst day ever? Light a candle near the cutting board so that some of the flame absorbs the tear-inducing fumes of a freshly cut onion.

To fix a dent on your furniture, fill in the space with a white wax candle, then go over it with a furniture marker matching the color of the furniture. You can even use candle wax to help make your drawers open smoothly.

Got your own unconventional uses for candles that does not involve birthday cakes or illuminating the darkness? Share with us.

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