Candle Care Tips

Candles are an amazing way to fill your space with relaxing vibes and nostalgic memories, but their open flame is potentially dangerous and needs to be taken super seriously. Plus, by doing a few simple things you can dramatically improve the performance of your candle too! Here’s our guide on how to burn candles properly, candle maintenance, scented candle upkeep and maximizing candle life.

BEFORE LIGHTING

Short & Sweet

Trimming candle wicks is one the most important things you can do to improve candle performance and promote long-lasting candle use. If left too long, the flame will either be too high to melt the wax (and just burn out), or it can create an inefficient “lazy flame” that is too large and creates unwanted soot and smoke.

We recommend cutting cotton wicks to 1⁄4 inch / 7mm, and wood wicks to 1⁄8 inch / 4mm. Using a candle wick trimmer is the easiest way to do this, but in a pinch you can use regular scissors on cotton wicks, and nail trimmers work great on wood wicks.

Location, Location, Location

Where you burn a candle is extremely important. Never place a candle you plan on lighting on or around anything that can scorch or catch fire. So avoid placing candles on or near flammable materials like wood, fabric, paper and dried flowers

Pick a flat surface that is not drafty or could experience sudden airflow. So avoid placing candles by air vents, windows and doorways. This will help your candle burn more evenly and help prevent objects and debris being blown into the candle flame, which is potentially very dangerous.

DURING BURNING

Adults Only

Always keep candles out of reach of children and pets, especially when they are lit. Candles can easily be knocked over, causing them to break, spill hot wax and ignite nearby objects. Unlit candles can also be dangerous due to the potential of broken glass.

Don’t Sleep On This

Don’t leave candles unattended and never light a candle before you plan on going to sleep or taking a nap. If you feel like you are getting sleepy (or maybe a little tipsy) make sure you extinguish your candle(s) immediately.

Know When It’s Time

It’s important to know the signs of when a candle should be extinguished. You should always extinguish a candle immediately if the flame becomes excessive, flickers constantly, or produces a noticeable amount of smoke. See our section on how to properly snuff out candles below.

When you first light a candle (and if everything looks good) it’s recommended that the top layer of wax is allowed to melt all the way to the edge of the vessel. This will help prevent candle tunneling, which is when the flame only melts the wax in the center of the candle, causing a tunneling effect from future burns.

You Can’t Sit With Us

Grouping lit candles together is a bad idea as it causes excessive heat accumulation and affects airflow, which is a potential fire hazard. It can also negatively impact the performance of the candles as they tend to burn unevenly and inefficiently. A good rule of thumb is to never place lit candles less than 3 inches from each other.

Don’t Go All The Way

Burning a candle to the point that most of the wax is gone is potentially dangerous. Always ensure that there is at least 1⁄2 inch of wax left in the bottom of the vessel to help prevent it from becoming excessively hot and/or breaking.

Off The Grid

It’s common for people to want to burn candles during a power outage, but this can be really dangerous. Using hand-crank or battery powered lighting like flashlights is far safer in an emergency situation.

WHEN YOU’RE DONE

Snuff It Out

Always, always, always use a candle snuffer, and never blow out a candle or use water to extinguish the flame. Before you relight, ensure the candle has cooled, trim the wick and double check for drafts.

Stay Grounded

Candles are very hot during and after use, so it’s important you don’t touch or move them when they are lit or when the wax is still liquid.

Triple Check

Before you leave, ensure the candle is completely extinguished and has no way to reignite.

STORING CANDLES

We often get asked what’s the best ways to store candles? Here are a few things you can do to help extend the shelf life of soy candles:

Store in a Cool and Dry Place

Keep candles out of direct sunlight and heat. Excessive heat can cause the candles to soften and melt, affecting their appearance, fragrance and performance. Keep them cool, but not cold. All pure soy wax candles naturally “frost”, which is the creation of tiny crystals in the wax. This is totally normal and does not affect the candle performance. But excessive cold can increase the rate of crystal growth.

Avoid Humidity

Soy candles can be sensitive to humidity, which may cause them to sweat or develop a "bloom" on the surface. Keep them in a location where humidity is relatively low.

Vertical Storage

Store candles in an upright position. This is especially important if the candles will be in a hot humid place, as the wax can soften, leak and potentially make a mess.

Separate Fragrances

If you have scented candles with different fragrances, it's a good idea to store them separately to avoid cross-contamination of scents. Similarly soy candles can absorb surrounding odors too, so it’s best to store them away from strong-smelling substances to prevent the candles from taking on unwanted scents.

Use a Ventilated Container

If you want to provide extra protection, try storing your candles in a non-airtight container like a cardboard or wicker box, or a fabric mesh bag. This can help shield them from dust and potential damage while avoiding unwanted moisture buildup. If your candle came with a box it’s best to keep it inside for long term storage, and leave any lids or paper dust covers on top of the wax too.

Use within a Reasonable Timeframe

While soy candles have a longer shelf life than some other types of candles, it's still a good idea to use them within a reasonable timeframe to enjoy the optimal fragrance and burn characteristics.

If you ever need a quick refresher on essential candle burning tips, check out the candle safety guidelines on the base of all our classic CANDIER® candles. Stay safe, babe! xo