High quality candles are worth the money, make sure you're getting the most out of yours!
Here's five tips for burning any candle the right way:
Um, I light the thing. The end.
Who knew, right? I love candles too, and didn't know candle care was even a thing until I began making my own.
Let me ask you this, have you ever bought a dud? You look forward to lighting your brand new candle and it immediately goes out- whomp whomp. It's not uncommon for a low quality candle to be wicked improperly. If it drowns itself out right away, it's probably under-wicked, meaning the wick is too small for the jar and/or the wax type. If you end up with a dud, set the jar on a wax warmer to help release any fragrance.
For best results and longest lasting performance, burn candles in four hour increments.
While an under-wicked candle is simply annoying, an over-wicked candle can be dangerous. The too-large wick creates a tall flame that flickers wildly. The jar can get too hot to handle and there's a mess of ugly black soot around the rim. The high heat can even cause the jar to crack. I'm looking at you, dollar store. I'm only here for the paper goods 👀 ...
Keep a close eye on any burning candle, and especially one you're trying for the first time. Like most things, candles are rarely 'perfect', but hopefully, you've found a pretty good one! Here are five tips to give you the best results from any candle:
1. Place your candle on a heat resistant surface in a spot where there's no drafts. A flame that flickers due to drafts can cause unnecessary sooting.2. Unless the wick is left extra long for aesthetics, theres no need to trim it the first time you light it, but do make sure to trim it down to 1/4" before each subsequent burn. This will give you the cleanest, like-new burn every time. Already combusted wick material does not burn well and makes a sooty mess of even the best candles. A metal wick trimmer lasts forever and is a great investment for any candle lover.
3. Don't light it and forget it. Also, don't light it and blow it out after an hour.
Hours on end 'power burning' is a safety-testing measure and not recommended for the consumer.
Conversely, if you don't have enough time to let a full melt pool form, wait until you do. A full melt pool means the melted wax has reached all edges of the jar. This is important because it prevents 'tunneling', where you end up with a hole down the middle of your candle. A full melt pool releases maximum scent and leaves you with a clean, empty jar.
Most candles melt at a rate of an inch per hour. This means a candle that measures 3 inches across in diameter should take about 3 hours to form a full melt pool. The melted wax should be about 1/4-1/2" deep. For best results and longest lasting performance, burn candles in four hour increments.
4. Look for a steady, compact flame. If the flame becomes tall or flickers excessively, extinguish it, trim the wick and re-light.
5. After four hours, extinguish your candle. Blowing out the flame can introduce wick debris into the wax. Instead, try a wick dipper, a wick snuffer or briefly rest the lid on the jar. Once the flame dies, remove the lid to release trapped heat and smoke.
Proper candle care makes a huge difference in the performance of the candle. I hope you found these tips helpful!
I'm a huge candle fan and these tips apply to any candle- not just mine. And speaking of spectacular candles, I was honored to be named an expert among experts in this featured Rent. article: Best Fall Candles | Rent.
