Liquid Paraffin Oil is simply candle wax in liquid form. It also has many other names: nujol, mineral spirits, adepsine oil, USP mineral oil, saxol, liquid paraffin, or glymol. It is usually recognized as a white, odorless, and tasteless oil which is insoluble in water and burns readily.

Paraffin oil is perfect as the burning oil of choice for outdoor torches, lamps and lanterns. It’s inexpensive, safe, and can be easily mixed with scents like citronella (to repel mosquitoes) or tints of color to attractively reflect in glass lamps. Paraffin oil burns incredibly clean, rarely leaves a smoky residue and burns longer than most other combustible materials. A gallon of paraffin oil will burn approximately 800 hours, a quart about 200 hours and your typical 6-8 ounce lamp or lantern base will burn for approximately 30 hours. These times are dependent on wick size, exposure to wind conditions, and desired flame height. Remember, the higher the wick, the brighter the flame and the more oil that will be used.

Other uses of paraffin include candle making (of course!), coating for waxed paper and all types of cheeses, anti-caking and anti-moisture coatings for slow- release fertilizers and other granulated agricultural products, and sealing mixtures for jars, cans and bottles.

Paraffin has a long history as a beauty aid/moisturizer for the skin, too. Ladies of old used to use warm, melted paraffin as a skin rejuvenator and would make a lotion out of the paraffin to apply to chapped, dry areas of the body.

While paraffin oil is safe and very clean-burning, as with any chemical, general precautions should be taken. Keep the oil away from pets and children. If the oil is swallowed or inhaled, irritation to skin, eyes and respiratory tracts may occur. With excessive ingestion or inhalation, symptoms may include coughing, breathing difficulties, cramping, nausea and vomiting. If the oil has been inhaled, provide the person with fresh air. If unconscious, artificial respiration must be given and medical attention is required. If ingested, provide water for the victim to drink (if conscious). If unconscious, immediate medical attention will be required.

Research taken from the following sources:

Wikipedia: Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. “Paraffin”, updated May 1, 2006.

Copyright 2006 www.OutdoorDecor.com
Kay Stone, OutdoorDecor.com Staff Writer