Scented Candle Care – How To Burn Your Candles Properly & Safely

Scented Candle Care – How To Burn Your Candles Properly & Safely

Many of us enjoy having scented candles in our homes for cosy hygge reasons and for the added scents but do you know how to properly care for your scented candles?

In this article, we are looking at how to burn your candles properly and safely to ensure that you get the most out of them.

• Prepare Your Candle for its First Burn + Burning Tips

If you have a new scented candle to enjoy, it requires a little bit of extra care for its first ever burn.

The first task is to trim your wick to a suitable length, using a wick trimmer for a clean cut if you have one. The ideal length depends on the type of wick – a cotton wick should be about ¼” or 0.6cm and wooden wicks should be shorter at about 1/8” or 0.3cm. It’s best to keep trimming the wick for subsequent burns too, while the candle is cool.

Next, find a suitable place for your candle. Somewhere where the surface is even and heat safe and of course out of reach of children and pets. Also keep your candles away from draughts and anything that might set on fire such as curtains or dried plants dangling nearby.

Now it’s time to light the candle which you can do with a lighter or a match. I love to use long wooden matches when the wax gets lower as this makes it much easier to reach the wick without burning my hand.

Let the candle burn for about 3-4 hours (smaller candles are fine with a shorter time, larger might need longer) to ensure that the wax liquifies completely across the top of the candle, from edge to edge of the container. If it doesn’t, the candle will create a memory ring which will then cause the candle to tunnel – this can’t be reversed so it’s important to get this right. This is another thing that you should keep in mind for subsequent burns too to get the most out of your candle.

Never leave a candle unattended and never fall asleep with a candle lit!

• How to Store Your Candles and Keep them Clean

Candles that you’re not currently using should be kept in a cool and dark place, with a lid on or in the box they came in. Scented candles and irish candles are best used while they’re new as the fragrance will weaken over time. Don’t keep them hidden away in a cupboard for too long for this reason – get them out, burn them and enjoy them while the scent is at its best. If your candles came with a lid, put the lid on between burns to keep the candle clean and free from dust and other debris.

If you end up with soot inside the container, this is easy to clean, luckily. All you need is a piece of kitchen roll and some coconut oil. When the candle is completely cool, put a small amount of coconut oil on the tissue and simply wipe the soot off. To reduce the risk of soot in the candle vessel, keep the wick properly trimmed and use a candle snuffer to extinguish your candle instead of blowing out the flame.

Once your candle has nearly run out, it’s time to stop using it. If you let it burn completely to the bottom, it could overheat the container which could cause a big mess. You can still clean out the wax of course, so that you can either recycle or reuse the container – for example, you could use it as a glass for drinks, a vase, a pencil pot or to use when making your own scented candles at home.

Following the tips above will ensure your candles burn better and more safely so that you can enjoy your beautiful candles for longer.

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