Candle Burning Tips

For a great relaxing candle experience, you need to adhere to proper candle care and maintenance. The first time you burn a candle is important, and as a rule candles should burn one hour for every 1 inch in the diameter of the actual candle size. 

One of the problems that can occur when burning a candle is when wax forms around the outside of the wax vessel. This is referred to as a ‘memory ring’ or 'tunnelling'. Eventually the candle becomes difficult to light and drowns out from the wax melting down on top of it. To prevent this, the first time you light the candle do not trim the wick. Depending on the wax and size of the vessel, you may need a flame that burns large and hot enough to melt the wax all the way to the edge. However, if, after you light the wick, there is any smoke at all, then extinguish the flame and trim the wick slightly. Let the candle burn long enough to get the entire top liquid wax, if doesn't melt all the way to the edge don't panic, but get as close as you can. After the first burn, try to let the candle burn for long stretches as often as you can to keep that really wide opening and prevent tunneling later on.

Yankee Candles have a solution for these problems with their Illuma-Lid. This sits on top of their house warmer jars and helps steady the flame to keep a nice even wax burn inside. The Candle Tree stocks a range of candle accessories including a lovely St Eval set, see here for more.

However, if your candle has already tunnelled and you can't fix the candle there's still ways to enjoy the fragrance. You can either place the candle on a candle warmer and melt the wax that way without lighting the candle. Though you won't be able to enjoy the ambiance of a burning candle, you will be able to enjoy the fragrance. You can also remove the dry, hard wax and place it in small portions on the top of a tealight warmer. This is another way to warm the wax without lighting the candle. A nice little tealight candle under the warmer adds some ambiance and candlelight while the scented wax on top provides fragrance. Use caution with all these techniques to ensure the wax doesn't become too hot and ignite. Always follow the manufacturers instructions for maximum burn times. 

CANDLE SAFETY RULES

• Always burn your candle on a heat resistant surface, keep it away from any breezes or drafts, to minimize smoke.

• Never leave your candle unattended whilst lit, and keep out of reach of children and pets.

• Always keep a burning candle within sight. Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or before going to sleep. Be sure the wick ember is no longer glowing.

• Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc.

• Keep burning candles out of the reach of children and pets. Although candles may smell like food, they are not edible.

• Always use a candle-holder specifically designed for candle use. The holder should be heat resistant, sturdy, and large enough to contain any drips or melted wax.

• Be sure the candle-holder is placed on a stable, heat-resistant surface. This can help prevent heat damage to underlying surfaces and prevent glass containers from breaking.

• We suggest trimming the wick every 4 hours of burn time. When wick trimming, always extinguish the flame, let the candle come to room temperature, and trim the wick to 1/4 of inch before relighting. Long or crooked wicks can cause uneven burning and dripping, we recommend Yankee Candle wick trimmer for a clean safe cut.

• Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.

• If your candle is burning unevenly, simply move the extinguished wick to the center with spoon, handle while the wax is still soft.

• Keep burning candles away from drafts, vents, ceiling fans and air currents. This will help prevent rapid, uneven burning, and avoid flame flare-ups and sooting. Drafts can also blow nearby lightweight items into the flame where they could catch fire.

• Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room. Don’t burn too many candles in a small room or in a poor ventilated area.

• Storing your candle is easy, but important to retain the fragrance oils which can be sensitive to temperature and light. Make sure your unused candles are stored in a dark place away from direct sunlight, like a cupboard or box to repent fading and discolouration.

• Never touch or move a burning candle or container candle when the wax is liquid.

• Never use a knife or sharp object to remove wax drippings from a glass holder. It might scratch, weaken, or cause the glass to break upon subsequent use.

• Place burning candles at least three inches apart from one another. This helps ensure they don’t melt one another, or create their own drafts to cause improper burning.

• Use a snuffer to extinguish a candle. It’s the safest way to prevent hot wax splatters.

• Never extinguish candles with water. The water can cause the hot wax to splatter and might cause a glass container to break.

• Be very careful if using candles during a power outage. Flashlights and other battery powered lights are safer sources of light during a power failure.

• Extinguish a candle if it repeatedly smokes, flickers, or the flame becomes too high.  The candle isn’t burning properly. Cool, trim the wick, then check for drafts before relighting.

• Never use a candle as a night light.

• Always read and follow the manufacturer’s use and safety instructions carefully. Don’t burn a candle longer than the manufacturer recommends.

• Don’t burn a candle all the way down. Extinguish the flame if it comes too close to the holder or container. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 2 inches of wax remains or ½ inch if in a container. Once there is only half an inch of wax remaining of your candle, you should cease using it. This prevents possible heat damage to the underneath surface or the vessel itself.

• Some candle brands are designed to self-extinguish, such as St Eval, Yankee Candle and Root. This function brings added peace of mind. However, it's important that you trim your wick to 1/4 inch from the top of the candle before each use.