Tips On Getting the Most Out of Your Candles

There are plenty of safety tips on using your candles without burning the house down, which we will include because it’s required by law. I realize that most of the tips are no brainers, but you would be surprised at what some people do. We would also like to offer some pointers on getting the most out of your candles and how to properly clean your container so you can reuse it!

I would like to start with 2 of the most important tips for burning your candle that most people don’t think about. (I didn’t until we started this business!)

1. Keep your wick trimmed! This is the #1 most important tip that many neglect. Your wick should be the right size to light when you first buy your candle. However, EVERY time you relight your candle, trim the wick to about 1/4″ . If you think the flame is too high, or it’s smoking, then the wick needs trimming. Extinguish the flame, let it cool, then trim and relight.
2. Ever have a candle burn a tunnel right down the middle of the center? It’s possible that was a bad wick choice of the mfg, but it’s usually caused by not allowing your candle to burn long enough at a time. You want your candle to have a melt pool that fully reaches the edge before you blow it out. Wax has a ‘memory’ and this will help you get the most out of your candle.
3. I know I said 2 things, but I found that most people don’t know that you shouldn’t burn your candle all the way to the bottom. This is important. I like to put my candles that still have some wax in them on a candle melter. You will get hours of fragrance from that small amt of wax! You can even use a coffee mug warmer or try this inexpensive option from Walmart :
   https://www.walmart.com/ip/CandleHearth-Electric-Flameless-Soot-Free-Candle-Warmer/16783767
4. ok, one more….Keeping your candle away from open windows and vents will increase your burn time immensely. A breeze of any kind with cause your candle to burn much quickly.

Safety Tips
1. Never leave a burning candle unattended or where children or pets can reach or knock over.
2. Never burn your candle by flammable items or curtains.
3. Don’t leave your candle burning overnight or use as a nightlight.
4. Always burn your candle on a heat-resistant, stable surface. Place on heat proof plate to protect surface.
5. Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.
6. Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room. Don’t burn too many candles in a small room or in a “tight” home where air exchange is limited.
7. 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.

8. Never touch or move a burning candle or container candle when the wax is liquid. (it can be HOT!)

9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Use a snuffer to extinguish a candle. It’s the safest way to prevent hot wax splatters. Ever blow out a candle and spew wax everywhere? Me, too.
12. Never extinguish candles with water. The water can cause the hot wax to splatter and might cause a glass container to break.
13. 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.
14. Extinguish a candle if it repeatedly smokes, flickers, or the flame becomes too high. This means that the candle isn’t burning properly. After it cools and wax is hardened, trim the wick, then check for drafts before relighting.