Important Tips for Caring for Your Candle
Candles are one of the most popular gifts given around the holidays. After all, who doesn’t love a new candle? Your candle may not last forever, but we’ve got some tips to help them last a little bit longer.
The First Burn is the Most Important
While burning your candle can be enjoyed at any time, the first time you burn your candle is always the most important. This is because when you burn your candle for the first time, you need to make sure that the entire first layer has completely melted before putting it out. Doing this is the best way to prevent tunneling, which is when the wax at the edge of the candle sticks to the rim of the vessel.
Yes, You Need to Trim the Wick
It may seem like an unnecessary task, it’s incredibly important. You should make sure your wick is trimmed to about 3mm after every four hours or so of burn time. Trimming the wick ensures that your candle will burn evenly, which means your candle could last longer.
Trimming the wick of a candle is easy and can be done with household tools. When your candle is still relatively new, this task can easily be done with scissors, and as it burns down, nail clippers can be used. If you’re looking for an easier solution as your candle burns down, you can purchase a wick trimmer from your local candle store.
Practice Safe Burning Habits
It’s important to make sure your candle is clear of debris before lighting it. One of the best ways to do this is to always replace your candle’s lid after use if it has one. Otherwise, your candle can quickly accumulate dust.
The candle’s wick can also be cause for concern. If you don’t trim the wick, it will eventually fall off into the hot wax, which can produce a fire hazard. The burning of dust, old wicks, and other debris can also ruin the scent of your candle, causing it to smell sootier or smokier.
Another way to keep safety in mind while burning your candle is to make sure you don’t burn it for too long. In order to minimize the risk of danger or damage, you should only burn your candle for three to four hours at a time. It’s also best to avoid burning your candle to the point where it is less than 5mm tall. Once it reaches this point, you run the risk of burning your table.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to be done with candles once that one is done! You can always visit your local candle shop for more– and no one will judge you if you get the same scent.
