Burning a candle is as simple as lighting a match…right? You’re not wrong, but burning your candle correctly and keeping it clean is more hard work than you think. There’s a few hurdles you have to jump through to make sure that you get the most out of your wax–but don’t worry, this innovative guide has all the tips and tricks you need to learn how to care for your candles!
First and foremost, trim the wick!
Trimming the wick is the best way for you to keep your candles burning evenly, from start to finish. Before lighting your candle, make sure to trim the wick to a 1/4 of an inch, especially if your wick has ‘mushroomed’ in previous burning sessions. A wick that is too tall will cause the flame to run too high, leading to burning of the glass (which never looks nice), and uneven burning of the wax. Use scissors to trim beforehand, or invest in a wick trimmer to make your life a little easier!
Burning all the away across…
The timing of your candle burning sessions are crucial to making sure you get the most out of your wax. The ideal candle burning time is 2-3 hours (always check the manufacturer’s label). Burning for that amount of time allows for the wax to burn all the way across, avoiding ‘tunneling’ or ‘memory rings’. Tunneling leaves wax around the sides of your candle jar–meaning less precious scents for you to enjoy! When you use your candle for the first time, try your best to burn it evenly, and your life will be much easier in the long run…
Pro tip: Candles with multiple wicks or a wide wick are more likely to burn all the way across!
Keep away from drafts and windows.
A simple tip really, but one you might not notice! Having a candle by an open window, or leaving it sat in that pesky draft means that the flame is likely to flicker and cause an uneven burn–which nobody wants. If your candle starts to smoke, the flame burns too high, or flickers aggressively, blow it out immediately. These signs are telling you it’s not burning properly, there’s likely a draft somewhere or the wick wasn’t correctly trimmed.
The final touches!
When you’re finished burning your candle, the best possible way to extinguish the flame is using a candle snuffer. Not only have snuffers been used for centuries of wax burning, they also help prevent more candle problems occurring. If you prefer a longer, tapered or pillar candle, using a snuffer means you are less likely to blow wax all over and make a mess! Blowing it out also means you’re bending the wick, potentially pushing it into the melted wax–making it difficult to light and burn next time. Yes, blowing out a candle is the easy way out, but if you’re a candle enthusiast, investing in candle snuffer will make life easier…and make you look cool whilst doing it!
Pro tip: Know when the time has come! Once your wax has burnt down to 1/4 of an inch, throw it out to avoid overheating!
Candles are a relaxing journey, from buying to burning, but they are a fire safety risk! Remember to always supervise an open flame, never burn on a delicate surface and always keep out of reach of children and pets. Always follow the instructions on the manufacturer’s label.