Mice much

[blueisbest]

Hi everyone! I have a strange question... My 5 lb box of soy wax chips for candles has been stored in my garage for a year. When I got it out yesterday I found mice droppings on in and kind of through out it. Is this wax garbage? Perhaps I could pan out all the droppings. ?? Would you use this wax?? I feel dumb asking--I'm grossed out but hate to waste the wax and the money.

 

[shunt2011]

I wouldn’t use it. Folks have had mice eat their soap and other items stored improperly. I would be concerned about the poop and urine. Ick?

 

[jcandleattic]

Is this wax garbage?

Yes, throw it away.

Perhaps I could pan out all the droppings.

What about the urine that may have absorbed into the wax. You can't pan that out.

Would you use this wax?? I feel dumb asking--I'm grossed out but hate to waste the wax and the money.

I would not use this wax, I would toss it. If you are grossed out, just think what someone else would think if they received a candle or melt with this wax? Is that really worth the money you spent on it? I wouldn't want to take the chance of ruining my reputation over 5lbs of wax.

 

[cmzaha]

I third the Do Not Use It. Rats carry all kind of diseases and the urine has very well soaked in the wax. Yuck, nope, nada...

 

[Dean]

Can u leave the dried poop in as an exfoliator or embed?

JK. Im cheap and would probably pick it out, rinse SW in cold water and let dry...but I don’t sell or share...yet.

 

[OldHippie]

Can u leave the dried poop in as an exfoliator

Why would anyone put an exfoliator in a candle?
Never mind, I don't want to know...

 

[Dean]

Why would anyone put an exfoliator in a candle?
Never mind, I don't want to know...

Ha! Whoops...we’re talking candles not soap.

 

[blueisbest]

It's actually 50lbs... big box in the garage that the little critter found. After I got over my disappointment in not being able to melt wax today, I came to the solid conclusion that there is no way I will use this wax flakes. I'm kind of curious if anyone had anything similar happen. I will use a plastic storage bin from now on. Thanks everyone!

 

[jcandleattic]

It's actually 50lbs... big box in the garage that the little critter found. After I got over my disappointment in not being able to melt wax today, I came to the solid conclusion that there is no way I will use this wax flakes. I'm kind of curious if anyone had anything similar happen. I will use a plastic storage bin from now on. Thanks everyone!

I personally have not (not sure if it's because I don't use soy, or if it's because there really aren't mice/rodents around here other than the occasional lost prairie dog that's been displaced) However, I know some chandlers who have said they have mice eating at their already made soy candles/melts.
That also squicks me out. GMP states that even the storage of made products should be in a clean/safe environment.

 

[SudsanSoaps]

You could use it to make fire starters. Soak sawdust or paper with it.

 

[cmzaha]

You could use it to make fire starters. Soak sawdust or paper with it.

I really would not even want to burn them at take a chance of urine saturated fumes, also the customer/user would still be touching the firestarter. With all the medical problems my youngest daughter and taking care of elderly parents we are all careful to the point of OCD about clean and contamination. Jcandleattic is correct it would not pass GMP, I would still cut my losses and get rid of it. But that is me, I would also not appreciate something being sold with such conditions.

 

[I_like_melts]

Hi everyone! I have a strange question... My 5 lb box of soy wax chips for candles has been stored in my garage for a year. When I got it out yesterday I found mice droppings on in and kind of through out it. Is this wax garbage? Perhaps I could pan out all the droppings. ?? Would you use this wax?? I feel dumb asking--I'm grossed out but hate to waste the wax and the money.

DO NOT USE IT - TOSS. Even though wax is far from cheap, you don't want the health risk and do not sell it.

I'm going to start looking into better storage for my wax as well now (I usually tie up the bag it came in) While wax isn't regulated by the FDA, it's important to ensure it is stored in a safe, clean environment.

 

[Suzy Knight]

It's actually 50lbs... big box in the garage that the little critter found. After I got over my disappointment in not being able to melt wax today, I came to the solid conclusion that there is no way I will use this wax flakes. I'm kind of curious if anyone had anything similar happen. I will use a plastic storage bin from now on. Thanks everyone!

Yup! Mice are a trial! They have eaten my soap and left droppings all over the outside containers for my hand lotion bars and shaving soaps. I'm in the process of adopting a barn cat for my studio!

 

[DeeAnna]

Speaking from experience, if you absolutely don't want mice in something, use a tightly covered metal container. I've had 'em chew through sturdy plastic trash containers if they think there's something extra yummy on the other side. And any lid, whether metal or not, that has a dime-sized crack or hole is fair game. Horse oats, dog food, bird seed, you name it. <sigh>

 

[madison]

Speaking from experience, if you absolutely don't want mice in something, use a tightly covered metal container. I've had 'em chew through sturdy plastic trash containers if they think there's something extra yummy on the other side. And any lid, whether metal or not, that has a dime-sized crack or hole is fair game. Horse oats, dog food, bird seed, you name it. <sigh>

Thank you for the info. I didn't know that mice can chew on plastic, I always thought that my plastic containers are safe. I'll need to change them.

 

[DeeAnna]

It might take them awhile to get into a heavy plastic container, but several of the plastic bins and trash containers I use for storage have little micey teeth marks here and there. It's appalling how fast they can destroy wood, plastic, or other chewable things if they put their mind to it.

 

[MKLonestar]

Mice absolutely hate the smell of moth balls, so I use those as a deterrent. I have all my soaps, waxes, and made candles in thick plastic bins with tight snapping lids, then I have moth balls placed in the corners of the alcove where the bins are placed in the workroom. So far, I have not had any problems with the mice getting into that area of the house, however, we know that they are definitely present as we have heard them in the walls (we have only been in this house 10 weeks now, but with mice that is long enough to get to what they want if they are determined enough).

 

[SaltedFig]

Before I had a dedicated vermin proof space, I stored my ingredients in medium sized metal drums with lock rings (like minature versions of those old steel drums - mine will hold 2 x 50 pound bags of lye, to give you an idea of size).

Someone I know used an old, square stock-feed bin (with a metal lid on a hinge, with a lip that went over the box for added exclusion - that helps with crawling critters) to store all their "mice" consumables. The metal doesn't need to be particularly thick (so cheap metal lock boxes also work well).

Mice will eat just about anything, if they are hungry enough (or if there's a population explosion for whatever reason). Anything that has been exposed to vermin (and that includes bugs, in my book), gets tossed. I don't buy or accept "destashing" ingredients for this reason - I have no control over how well they've been kept.

 

[SeattleMartin]

Bribe the local cats with some nip and put a hit out on that little rodent.