Candle Love

Candle care is essential to ensure safety, proper burning, and longevity of your candles. Here are some general candle care instructions:

1. Trim the Wick: Before lighting your candle, trim the wick to about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm). This prevents excessive smoking, uneven burning, and mushrooming of the wick.  Wick trimmers are available in our store.  

2. Burn Time: Allow your candle to burn for a sufficient amount of time during the first use. This helps prevent "tunneling," where only the center of the candle melts, leaving wax along the sides. A good rule of thumb is to burn the candle for 1 hour for every inch (2.5 cm) of its diameter.

3. Avoid Drafts: Keep your candles away from drafts, fans, open windows, and air conditioning vents. Drafts can cause uneven burning, excessive smoking, and even extinguish the flame.

4. First Burn: The first time you light your candle, allow it to burn until the entire top layer of wax is melted. This helps prevent tunneling in future burns.

5. Extinguishing: Use a candle snuffer to extinguish the candle. This prevents hot wax from splattering and maintains the wick's centered position.  Candle Snuffers are available in our store.

6. Avoid Moving Candles: Don't move the candle until wax has cooled and solidified.  Moving a burning or hot candle can be dangerous and cause the wax to spill or the wick to become off-center.

7. Keep the Wax Pool Clean: After extinguishing the candle, ensure there are no debris or wick trimmings in the wax pool. These can ignite and create a fire hazard.

8. Jar Candles: For candles in containers, allow the entire top layer to melt to prevent tunneling. Keep the wick centered to prevent uneven burning against the sides of the container.

9. Candle Accessories: Use appropriate holders or trays for candles to catch any dripping wax and protect surfaces from heat.

10. Candle Safety: Never leave a burning candle unattended. Keep candles away from flammable materials, children, and pets. Place candles on a stable, heat-resistant surface.

11. Multiple Candles: If burning multiple candles in the same area, ensure they're spaced apart to prevent excessive heat buildup.

12. Discontinue Use: If a candle develops excessive soot, smokes excessively, or has an unstable flame, discontinue use. These could be signs of an issue with the wick or wax.

13. Storage: Store candles in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent color fading or warping.

14. Different Types of Candles: Keep in mind that different types of candles (such as soy, paraffin, beeswax, etc.) may have slightly different care requirements. Always check the manufacturer's instructions for specific recommendations.

Remember that candle care can vary based on the specific candle and manufacturer, so it's always a good idea to refer to the instructions provided by the candle's manufacturer for the best results.

Check out our other blog posts to view more information on each of these candle care tips.