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If you love the amber glow of the flickering flames and alluring ambience that candles can create, or adding a decorative element to your living space, why not make them last as long as possible? There is actually a proper way to burn a candle and there are ways to make them last longer.
Light It Right The First Time – Don’t Burn A New Candle For Only A Few Minutes
The first burn is the most important, so let’s ensure you do it correctly. Allow the candle to burn until it forms a complete pool of melted wax across the surface of its container, from edge to edge. Its critical not to extinguish the flame until the pool of wax has extended across the diameter of the candle, blow it out too soon, and leaving excess wax hard around the edges, will most likely never burn after the first lighting.
Keep Wicks Trimmed
A trimmed wick will give you a nice bright flame. One of the most common mistakes people make with their candles is leaving the wicks too long. Wicks should be about one-fourth inch high above the wax for best burning results, do not trim lower than that. If the wick is longer than one-fourth inch, it will cause the wax to burn too quickly. Remove the charred part with a tissue. Remember to trim the wick after each use. Tip – its much safer to trim the wick when the wax pool has hardened.
Avoid Placing Burning Candles In The Path of Drafts or Direct Air-Flow
Your candle will burn faster if its placed in a drafty area. Currents of air can cause your candles to burn unevenly and produce excessive smoke or soot, which can leave black stains on your containers.
Keep The Wax Pool Free Of Any Debris
Don’t mess up the candle pool with pieces of cut-off charred wicks or used matches. Introducing debris into the wax will interfere with the chemistry of the candle and may cause the candle to burn unevenly, causing the wick to clog and prevent it from drawing up the fragrance oil and diffusing the scent.
Let Candle Completely Cool Before Lighting Again
A candle in a container takes about two hours to completely cool down. Its worth the wait both for safety and functionality.
Store Candle Correctly
Candles should be stored away from heat and light in order to keep them in the best condition. Replace lids on jar candles in between uses to keep dust off of the surface. If you have long taper candles, lay candles down on their sides to prevent warping.
Use these tips to enjoy your candle for as long as possible.
