Cleaning FAQs: Recycling Diptyque Jars, Favorite Brush Cleansers + Clear Bag Care

I receive cleaning questions quite frequently even though truth be told I’m a messy person. The struggle to keep things organized is very real and it requires a lot of constant re-organizing to prevent things from just staying in piles on the desk or floor. I thought I’d cover some frequently asked questions for beauty cleaning tips. I’m asked almost daily about Diptyque candle jars, brush cleaning and clear bags I thought I’d cover those in a roundup today.

How to Clean Out Diptyque Jars Without Ruining the Sticker Label

There are many ways to clean out the excess wax from candle jars but with luxury candles like Diptyque, Byredo or Jo Malone you need to take a little extra care to keep the labels in tact. I’ve found the clear glass jars from Diptyque have the most sturdy labels so if you get them wet it will still stay in tact. If you have a Byredo or Jo Malone candle or anything with a label that has a paper surface or doesn’t have that coating make sure you don’t get the exterior wet. What I do is quite simple! All you need is Dawn Dish Soap (although any dish soap will probably work), a small butter knife and paper towels or a small sponge.

 

If there are large chunks of wax in the bottom around the end of the wick you can scrape it out with a small rounded butter knife. I bought a set of four from Amazon and they work perfectly to get excess wax off the base and sides. Having a beveled tip makes it easier to hold and maneuver than a flat knife. If the wax is too hard you can soften it by adding hot tap water and let it sit for a few minutes.

To clean out the sides and excess wax pour a small amount of dish soap into the jar and add hot tap water to soften the rest. Let it soak for a few minutes for it to soften then wipe out with a paper towel or re-scrape the sides (depending on how much wax there is). If all the wax doesn’t come off just repeat until it all comes clean. Sometimes stubborn remnants won’t come off the first round.

For candles that had a clean burn:

If you didn’t have a clean burn you might have to repeat the steps a few more times, this one didn’t have quite a clean burn:

Others have suggested freezing the wax out. You can definitely try it but freezing will only pop out the wax if you have a large chunk at the base. It won’t clean out the excess stuck on the sides and if you have any burned remnants it won’t come clean with freezing. Some like to add boiling water but I’ve had the sticker labels melt off the sides from burning candles too long so I avoid using water that is extra hot.

How to Clean the Plastic on Clear Makeup Bags

If you have any clear makeup bags you know they are finger print prone and it’s just a matter of time before you will see smudges from brushes or just dirty fingers in general. My favorite cleaner I’ve used is the Novus Plastic Clean and Shine spray to clean makeup bags and acrylic makeup boxes and drawers. It works on Truffle Pouches and The Daily Edited Clear Bags as well. You can use a soft cloth to wipe it off but I find paper towels work just fine. They have a few other products that helps remove fine scratches from plastics but I haven’t tried it. It’s relatively easy to find at a lot of places like Amazon or the Container Store. Even though the bottle says ok to use on plastic I won’t recommend using them on sunglasses – I’ve found the best way to clean those is just warm water and soap, that way you don’t ruin any protective coatings! If in doubt on what you can use this on, I recommend a small patch test. But on plastic makeup organizers and all my clear bags it’s worked like a charm.

Favorite Brush Cleansers

My favorite brush cleanser is actually the MAC Brush Cleanser because it doesn’t leave a film and isn’t scented but it’s really pricey! With the rate I clean brushes repurchasing it constantly isn’t really cost effective. I’ve tried so many things over the years like baby shampoo, body wash, other brands of brush cleansers etc. trying to find a dupe but haven’t. Many recommended Dr. Bronner’s – I tried the Unscented and Lavender options and while they do clean brushes nicely, the residue gave my skin an allergic reaction (I did rinse them out well, but there were still remnants on the brushes and the scented oil versions didn’t mesh well with my skin). I still think they’re good for other things, just not on my face but your mileage may vary. Same goes for a lot of other popular liquid brush cleansers, so many are heavily scented my skin can’t tolerate any residue. Baby shampoo never washes/rinses out 100% for me but I wish it did.

For me the best is a mix of hot water and Dawn Dish Soap (original one). I let brushes soak a little to loosen the makeup from the brushes.

You can use your hands to massage the cleanser into the brush but I’ve found rubbing them across a brush cleaner mat is much more effective and easier on your hands. I had a Sigma Express Cleaning Mat before and really liked it but eventually tossed it during our last move. It’s one you put in the bottom of your skin and run the brushes across it and it’s really effective! When it came time to replace it I opted for a smaller version when I spotted the Real Techniques Brush Cleaning Palette in store (shown below) and love the smaller size and handle on the back so you can hold it. Both work equally well, I’d recommend you pick based on your preference for format and size. I like things that are more compact but this one might be too small for your needs.

For a quick brush clean I’ve used the Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner (spray version) for years. It doesn’t irritate my skin even though it’s now scented but I would try the small version if you have extra sensitive skin. For sponges the best is hands down the Beautyblender Solid Cleanser. I also like the Liquid Blendercleanser, but just like the MAC Brush Cleanser, it’s super spendy for the amount you get!

Vacuum for Pet Owners

One side note is I also get asked how we keep our house so clean with all of our fur babies. My secret is that Andrew is the clean one and vacuums constantly. We’ve had several Dyson vacuum cleaners over the years and just replaced ours with the Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner and it’s AMAZING and totally worth the splurge. It gets all the pet fur off the couches and carpet. There are two strength settings so it’s good on wood/tile floors and also rugs/carpet.

I hope you found this roundup helpful! I wanted to do a roundup I could send to those who ask because so many ask on a weekly basis. I will be doing a separate beauty organization post in the upcoming weeks so stay tuned!

Do you have any brush cleaner or plastic cleaner favorites? Let me know if you do!