BURN THAT BEAUTIFUL CANDLE!
by: A Castro September 14, 2021
Not all candles are made equally. There are many factors that plays a vital role in burning that perfect candle, including the type of wax used in the candle. The quality of the fragrance and the type of wick used to name a few. But how well a candle performs is not determined by how the candle was made, rather it is determined by you!
There are steps you can do to ensure the best way to perform your candle when it comes to how well it burns; the length of time and how well the fragrance infuses with the wax. Here are some tips to burning the perfect candle in your home.
1. Reach a Full Melt Pool
When burning your candle for the first time, it’s important to let your candle burn long enough to ensure a full melt pool is achieved. This means allowing the wax to liquify all the way until it reaches the edge of the jar. This ensures that your candle will maintain an even burn throughout and avoid tunneling. During the first burn, it will generally take 1-3 hours to reach a full melt pool.
2. Trim Your Wooden Wicks
Did you know you’re supposed to trim your wicks before EVERY burn? If you didn’t, you’re not alone! Many people don’t realize this, and once you start trimming your wicks, you’ll wish it was something you knew about many candles ago.
When a wick is too tall, it could supply too much fuel to the flame too quickly, thus creating excess smoke and black soot. In addition, your candle will burn through much more quickly because it is burning at a much faster rate. You also risk losing your wick in the wax, as it will begin to curl down into the melted wax the longer it gets. When you trim your wicks properly before every burn, you get an even burn, little to no smoke and black soot, a longer lasting candle, and better fragrance diffusion.
You’ll want to trim your wicks to 1/8-1/4 inch before every single burn, using either scissors or a wick trimmer. Once trimmed, it’s important to dispose the trimmed wick piece instead of leaving the trimmings in the wax. If you don't have a wick trimmer, pinching it with your finger nails will do it too.
3. Burn Your Candle maximum of 4 Hours at a time
It’s important to burn your candle not more than 4 hours at a time. Burning your candle for too long can cause a carbon collection on the wick, which causes it to create a large flame and producing excess smoke and black soot.
4. Burn Your Candle in the Right Space
Make sure you’re burning the right sized candle for the right sized room. Smaller candles are great for bathrooms and other small rooms within your home, but you won’t be able to reap the same scent benefits if they’re placed in a larger room. The bigger the room, the bigger the candle.
5. Store Your Candle Properly
Storing your candle in a cool, dark place is best for preserving your candle. Be careful not to leave your candle in direct sunlight, as it will not only melt your candle, but also make the fragrance fade much faster.
6. Never Burn Your Candle When ½ inch of Wax Remains
If you keep burning your candle past the half inch mark, the flame will get too close to the base of the jar. This is a safety issue, potentially causing damage to the jar or the surface the candle is on. Don’t do it. Swap out your candle when you’re down to ½ inch of wax.
Following these steps, can guarantee that perfect burning candle that will last long, smell amazing.