Photo: Olga Savina (Shutterstock)
Menorahs can get messy. And on top of whatever dusting you need to do for a decoration that spends most of the year in a box, candle wax is just a pain to clean up. Here’s how to clean all the different kinds of menorahs.
How to clean silver menorahs
Per Kosher.com, you can de-wax a silver menorah by putting it in the sink and pouring boiling water over top of it. Use a soft sponge to add some silver polish when you’re done, then a second sponge to clean it all with dish soap. Rinse it with hot water and dry it with a cloth. (You can also boil it in the water on the stove and just let the wax melt off and rise to the surface, where you can easily skim it off, but your menorah might be too big.)
Before doing this, of course, plug your drain or lay down some tinfoil. Don’t remove the tinfoil and wax until the water has cooled down enough for you to touch it. When it’s time to store the menorah after Hanukkah, put it in a tightly-sealed plastic bag with a piece of chalk to absorb moisture and sulfur so that it doesn’t tarnish while it’s away.
How to clean metal menorahs
According to Taste of Home, you can put your metal menorah in the oven. As long as it’s metal, it’ll be fine—just preheat your oven to 225°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Fold the sides to create a sort of dish, put your menorah in the pan, and put it on the center rack. After about five or 10 minutes, the wax will melt onto the foil. Stay nearby so it doesn’t have to stay in there any longer than necessary for all the wax to come off. Use paper towels or a cloth to remove any extra wax from the candle holders.
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How to clean plastic menorahs
Heat will obviously ruin a plastic menorah’s shape, but you can pop it in the freezer until the wax hardens and becomes easy to remove. Kosher.com recommends using regular old hot water and soap to get stubborn wax off after that.
Oil your menorah before Hanukkah
Prior to lighting the candles on the first night of Hanukkah, rub some oil along your menorah’s outer surfaces so that any wax that accumulates will be easier to peel off. Peel the wax every morning so you start fresh every night.
