How to Use Wax Melts: How They Work and a Simple Step-by-Step Guide
The quick answer: wax melts work by warming, not burning. Put one or two pieces of scented wax in the dish of a wax melt burner, light an unscented tealight underneath or switch on your electric burner, and as the wax melts it releases its fragrance into the room. When the scent fades, let the wax set, pop it out and add a fresh piece.
Wax melts are one of the easiest ways to make your home smell lovely, and once you have done it once, it takes about a minute. This guide explains how wax melts work, how to use them in a tealight or electric burner, how much to use, and how to get the most from every bar.
How do wax melts work?
Wax melts work by gentle heat, not by burning. A burner warms a piece of scented wax until it turns liquid. The warmth frees the fragrance oil blended into the wax, which evaporates from the surface of the melted pool and spreads through the room. The wax itself isn't used up. When you switch off, it sets again, ready to melt next time, until the fragrance has gone.
A wax melt is a piece of scented wax with no wick. Fragrance is blended into the wax when it is poured. Every wax melt set-up has three parts:
- The wax melt: our wax melts are hand-poured in Hampshire using soy wax and Woodbridge fragrance oils, and come as snap bars that break into pieces.
- The dish: the top of the burner, which holds the wax while it melts.
- The heat source: a tealight underneath the dish, or an electric element or bulb in an electric or plug-in burner.
What happens when you warm a wax melt?
- It melts. Soy wax melts at a relatively low temperature, so the gentle heat of a tealight or electric burner is enough to turn it into a pool of liquid wax.
- The fragrance is released. Warm, liquid wax lets the fragrance oil escape far more easily than cold, solid wax, so it evaporates from the surface of the pool.
- The scent fills the room. The fragrance drifts into the air and builds over the next few minutes. A larger melted surface and a closed door both help.
- It sets again. When you blow out the tealight or switch off the burner, the wax cools and hardens, holding on to whatever fragrance is left until next time.
Why doesn't the wax disappear?
Because nothing is burning, the wax itself does not disappear. A candle uses its wax as fuel for the flame, but a wax melt only carries the fragrance. What fades over time is the scent. That is why you change a wax melt when you can no longer smell it, not when the dish is empty. Each piece of our wax melts can give up to 10 hours of fragrance, though times vary between scents, burners and rooms.
Why can you smell wax melts before you melt them?
A little fragrance escapes from solid wax at room temperature, which is why a bar smells lovely in its packaging. That gentle scent is often called "cold throw". Once the wax is melted, much more fragrance is released, which is called "hot throw", and that is what scents a whole room.
How do wax melt burners and warmers work?
A wax melt burner (also called a wax warmer or wax melter) simply holds the wax in a dish above a heat source:
- Tealight burners have space for one unscented tealight under the dish. The small flame warms the dish from below and gives a cosy glow, so they must never be left unattended.
- Electric burners warm the dish with a heating plate or a bulb powered from the mains, so there is no flame and the heat stays steady.
- Plug-in burners are small electric burners that sit straight in the wall socket.
Whichever you choose, the principle is the same: warm the wax gently, never burn it. We recommend melting for up to four hours at a time, and never leaving a burner unattended.
What affects how strong a wax melt smells?
- How much wax you use: one piece for a small room, two for a larger one.
- Your burner: the size of the dish and how warm it gets.
- The room: large, open-plan or draughty rooms take longer to fill.
- The scent itself: some fragrances naturally carry further than others.
For more on scent strength, read are your wax melts strong?
How to use wax melts, step by step
- Place your burner safely. Choose a flat, stable, heat-resistant surface, away from curtains, draughts, children and pets.
- Snap off your wax. Break one or two pieces from a snap bar. We usually suggest starting with two, then adjusting to your room.
- Add the wax to the dish. Put the pieces in the empty, clean dish. Never add water.
- Turn on the heat. Light one unscented tealight under the dish, or switch on your electric burner.
- Enjoy the fragrance. The wax melts and the scent builds over the next few minutes.
- Switch off and let it set. Follow your burner's instructions on how long to use it in one go. Let the wax cool and harden before you move the burner.
- Re-use until the scent fades. You can melt the same wax again next time. When the fragrance has gone, remove it and add fresh pieces.
How to use a wax melter: tealight or electric?
Both types work with our wax melts. The right one comes down to where you will use it and how you like to relax.
How to use wax melts with tealights
A tealight wax melt burner has an opening underneath for a tealight. Use unscented tealights so they don't clash with your wax melt, and only ever use one at a time. Never leave a lit tealight unattended, and never move the burner while the wax is liquid. Not sure which tealights to buy? Read what tea lights should I use for my wax burner.
How to use wax melts in an electric burner
An electric wax melt burner uses an element or a bulb to warm the dish, so there is no flame. Plug it in, add your wax, switch on and let it warm. A plug-in wax burner sits straight in the wall socket, which makes it handy for hallways, bathrooms and landings. Always switch off at the end of a session.
Still choosing? Our guide to the best wax melt burner: electric, plug-in or tealight compares them side by side.
How much wax melt should you use?
Start with one or two pieces and adjust. A small bathroom or landing may only need one piece, while an open-plan living room may want two. Don't overfill the dish, because melted wax can spill when it expands.
Our wax melts come as 80g Snap Bars with six cubes and 50g Mini Snap Bars with ten smaller snaps, so it's easy to use just what you need.
When should you change your wax melt?
Change it when you can no longer smell the fragrance. How long that takes varies by scent, burner and room, so trust your nose. For a fuller explanation, read how long do wax melts last.
To change scents, let the wax set fully. Then pop it out with your fingers or a spoon. If it's stubborn, pop the dish in the freezer for a few minutes and it will release easily. You can also briefly warm the wax and soak it up with a cotton pad. Our step-by-step guide to cleaning wax melt burners shows each method.
Can you use wax melts without a burner?
The short, honest answer: you need gentle, steady heat to fill a room with fragrance, and a proper wax melt burner is the safe way to get it. A burner holds the wax in a dish made for the job and warms it at the right temperature. Improvised methods, such as a hob, an oven, a microwave, a hair dryer or a radiator, can overheat the wax or create a spill or burn risk, so we don't recommend them.
What can I use instead of a wax burner?
If you don't have a burner yet, it doesn't have to cost much. Our tealight wax burners start from £4.25 and need no wires, and our plug-in wax melt burners start from £9.99 for flame-free scent straight from the wall socket. You'll find every style in our wax melt warmers collection, and our burner buying guide helps you choose.
Can you use wax melts without heat?
Yes, but only in a small way. Unheated wax melts give off a light "cold throw", which is enough to freshen a small, enclosed space but won't scent a room. Leave a wax melt in its packaging, or pop it on a small dish, and tuck it in a drawer, wardrobe or shoe cupboard. Keep it away from direct contact with clothes and fabrics, as the fragrance oil can mark them, and keep it out of reach of children and pets. Avoid leaving wax melts in a car or a sunny window, where they can soften and leak. When you're ready to fill a room, move the wax melt into a burner.
Wax melt safety tips
- Never leave a lit tealight or a switched-on burner unattended.
- Keep burners out of reach of children and pets. Read are wax melts safe for dogs and cats for more.
- Don't move the burner while the wax is hot and liquid.
- Don't add water to the dish of a wax melt burner.
- Always follow the instructions that came with your burner.
Getting the most from your wax melts
- Match the scent to the room. Fresh, clean scents suit bathrooms and kitchens. Warm, sweet scents feel cosy in living rooms.
- Close the door for a few minutes in a large room to let the fragrance build.
- Store spares well. Keep unused melts in their packaging, somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight.
- Can't smell it? You may have got used to the scent, or the room may be too large or draughty. See why can't I smell my wax melts.
New to wax melts altogether? Wax Melts 101 covers the basics. If you're ready to choose a scent, browse our wax melt bundles. Free UK delivery on orders over £45.
How to use wax melts: FAQs
Do wax melts burn like candles?
No. Wax melts have no wick and are never lit. They are gently warmed until they melt, which releases the fragrance.
How many wax melt pieces should I use?
Start with one or two pieces. Use one for a small room and two for a larger one.
Can I mix different wax melts?
Yes. Try one piece each of two scents that work together, such as a fresh scent with a floral one. Start small so you can judge the blend.
How do wax melts work without a flame?
In an electric or plug-in burner, a heating plate or bulb warms the dish instead of a tealight. The wax melts and releases its fragrance in exactly the same way, with no flame at all.
Do wax melts work straight away?
The wax needs a few minutes to melt before the scent really builds. Electric burners and tealight burners both take a little while to warm up, so switch on or light your burner a short while before you want the room to smell lovely.
Do your wax melts work in electric and tealight burners?
Yes. Our soy wax melts work in both tealight and electric wax melt burners.
Are your wax melts vegan?
Yes. Our wax melts are vegan and cruelty-free.