TRIM THE WICK

The most essential rule of all regarding candle maintenance.  Before lighting and during the life of the candle be sure to trim the wick to ¼” (5 mm). A long, untrimmed wick can lead to a larger flame, increasing the risk of the candle over heating or cracking the vessel. Trimming helps to keep the heat down, avoids mushrooming and will also help to prevent soot from building up on your candle vessel. If you trim your wick before each burn, your candle will maintain a nicer look and experience a longer wick life. Longer, untrimmed wicks burn at a faster and hotter rate and will shorten the life of your candle. Remember to always trim the wick when the wax is fully dry.

LET IT BURN

Allow the wax to melt, or pool, to the edges of the vessel every burn to prevent tunneling (about 2-4 hours). This is especially important on the first burn.

FIX A TUNNELED CANDLE

The burn time of candles varies depending on the vessel and the environment in which the candle is burning in, but as a general rule of thumb every ounce of wax gives approximately 6-7 hours of burn time. If your candle already has a tunnel, try this tip: First, trim your wick to prevent the flame from getting too big. Then, wrap the vessel with aluminum foil, leaving an opening at the top so your flame doesn’t burn out. This will bring heat to the edges and will force the wax pool to reach the edge of the vessel.

SAFETY FIRST

Common sense tells us to never leave a lit candle unattended, but also keep in mind to not burn candles over several hours at a time. To protect the surface below from heat, always place your candles on a heat resistance surface, like a coaster or tile, and make sure these surfaces can withstand the heat generated during burning. And, of course, keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.

KNOW WHEN TO STOP

Don’t burn your candle if only 1/4- 1/2” of wax remains. Lighting a candle without enough wax can overheat the jar.

EXTINGUISH THE FLAME PROPERLY

Most candles are made with a good amount of fragrance oil which can be smoky when extinguished. To avoid smoke when blowing out your candles always use a candle snuffer. Or, if a snuffer isn’t available, try drowning the wick into the melted wax pool to put out the flame. The hardest part of this tip is reminding yourself not to blow. Use a dipping tool or butter knife to push the lit wick down into the pool of hot wax, which will snuff out the flame. Use the same tool to lift the wick up and allow it to harden before trimming for the next burn. This trick will also help to keep soot from building up on your candle vessel.

CANDLE STORAGE 

When candles are not in use, be sure to store them in a cool, dry environment. Keep away from heat and direct sunlight to avoid the wax from softening. Also, don’t store candles in freezing temperatures-the wax might shrink or crack. Covering candles when not in use with a lid will also help to prevent the top of your candles from collecting dust.

KEEP IT CLEAN

To clean a candle, dampen a microfiber cloth and carefully clean the top of the wax, not to disturb the wick. You can also store your candles while not in use under candle lids or a glass cloche which will also protect the candle from collecting dust.

REUSE IT

Once the candle is finished, clean out the jar or vessel. Reuse as a new planter, bathroom organizer or pencil holder!