Has a cozy and quiet evening ever been ruined because the scented candle you spent so much money on burned too fast and barely filled the room with fragrance? Disappointing, isn’t it? Most people learn the hard way that even high-quality candles do not automatically mean long-lasting candles. They need care, and with candle care tips, they burn more evenly, last longer, and glow as they should. Follow our easy-to-follow candle care instructions to ensure your candle lives up to its potential.
Why candle care matters
You don't want to throw away your scented candles after just a week, right? But that would likely happen if you don't follow the appropriate candle care tips. Caring for your candles involves trimming the wick, storing it in a cool, dry environment, keeping burn time within 4 hours, etc. All these seemingly insignificant things effectively prevent problems like tunneling, wasted wax, and uneven burn. They also reduce the risk of smoke or accidental fire and ensure your candles burn efficiently.
How to take care of a candle
Some people pick up their candles only when they need them. Until then, they dump the candles somewhere. But things don't work that way. When you abandon your scented candles, they don’t smell as strong or last as long. We’ve categorized these candle tips to show you how to care for a candle!
1.Before burning
1. Trim the wick
Keep it about ¼ inches long, but be careful not to go beyond that length because a short wick would be quickly put out by melting wax. On the other hand, an untrimmed wick can cause the wax to burn out fast and unevenly, resulting in excessive dripping.
How to trim
Always trim your wick when it is completely cool and solid, and measure to get the appropriate length before cutting.
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Using scissors: Hold them steady and cut straight through the wick. Remove any trimmed pieces that fall into the wax.
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Using a wick trimmer: Place the trimmer over the wick and snip. Wick trimmers are better than scissors because their angled design makes cutting effortless, even in deep candle jars.
2. Your candle may have lost its balance since your last use or while transporting it from the shop to your home, so it is vital to reposition it. You could use your hands, but a more effective way to straighten a candle is to use beeswax strips.
2. While burning
1. Even if your candle burns in a jar, you must still place it on a heat-resistant surface. It is because burning candles forms small pools of hot wax at its base. Melted wax retains a lot of heat and can cause burn marks or damage to your furniture.
2. Let your candle burn for at least three to four hours. Anything less can cause tunneling. Candle tunneling happens when the flame melts only a small circle of wax around the wick. So, instead of an even melt pool, the flame creates a ‘’tunnel’’ in the center of the wax. Over time, this tunnel deepens, reducing the candle’s lifespan and making it impossible to light the wick.
Shorter burn times do not allow scented candles to emit their fragrance evenly. Note that the fragrance comes from the evaporation of melted wax, not the candle. The same goes for lengthy burn times. Long burn times cause candles to overheat and damage their fragrance oils.
3. Always put out your candles before leaving a room. Leaving them unattended is a recipe for disaster.
4. Do not touch or move a burning candle or handle a candle container with liquified wax.
5. Keep two or more burning candles at least three inches apart so they don’t melt into one or create unwanted drafts.
6. Extinguish flames that get too high, but, before relighting, wait for the candle to cool.
3. When extinguishing
1. Don’t blow out your candles once they’re done. Although a common habit, blowing candles creates a lot of smoke. Instead, use candle snuffers, They are a lot safer and also prevent hot wax from splattering on you.
2. Always ensure your candle is off after every burn. Also, check if the wick ember is glowing before leaving.
3. Wait until the candle has cooled down before touching or moving it.
4. Do not use water to extinguish a candle. It can cause hot wax to splatter and may break a glass container.
5. Overtime, soot, and debris build up on your candle and inside its holder. If the build-up goes above the wax, it can ignite. This is a safety risk. So, after every burn, use tweezers to pick out wick trimming and larger debris from the wax. Then, wipe the candle and holder with a dry towel to remove soot, fingerprints, and smaller particles.
6. One of the best but unpopular candle care tips is to retire your candle when there’s some wax left. Burning the candle out entirely causes it to overheat and damage the container. Ideally, you should replace the candle when there is still about ½” of wax.
Candle care tips are great. However, they wouldn’t make a difference if your candles are low-quality. Only premium candles like Stān dle work best with candle safety tips. Stān dle candles are made with clean-burning wax, sturdy wicks, and safe, durable containers, so you get a longer, safer, and more enjoyable burn every time.
Storing candles the right way
The way you store your candle matters. It impacts how well they burn, their appearance, and their lifespan. Here are some of the best ways to store candles and keep them in the best condition.
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Store your candles in a cool, dry place: Your candles shouldn’t be anywhere near direct sunlight, heat or moisture but be kept in a cool, dry place.
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Avoid dust and debris: Always keep your candle covered in a clean container to keep dust and debris from settling on it. A dusty candle is unappealing and inefficient.
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Keep them standing: Do not store your candles on their side but uprightly so they don’t bend or accidentally fall and break.
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Keep your candles separate: Store your candles away from perfumes and cleaning products. This helps candles keep their original scent and remain fresh.
What to do with leftover candle wax?
You can still repurpose leftover wax into something meaningful and functional for your home, office etc so don’t throw them away, do this instead.
DIY candle: Make your own candle by melting wax pieces from old candles and pouring them into a candle jar. Then, add a wick. You could also layer different scented waxes to create a truly unique one.
Use as a lubricant: Leftover waxes are great lubes for rusty and squeaky door hinges. Just rub them on the hinge or sliding track.
Waterproof your items: A thin layer of melted wax on shoelace tips, zippers, and matches can protect them from moisture.
Make an ignitor: Make a DIY ignitor for your next camping trip. Mix melted wax with dry lint, sawdust, or shredded paper and pour them into a paper egg carton.
Get creative with your envelope seals: Stop using boring old envelope seals. Melt the wax, drip it onto the envelope flap, and press with a stamp or decorative object the old-fashioned way.
Make an air freshener for your closets: Mask all bad odors and keep your wardrobes fresh by placing leftover scented wax in a fabric pouch and placing it in the corner of the cabinet.
Shop scented candles at Stān dle.
Stān dle believes you deserve nothing but the best. As such, we purposefully create small-batch premium candles. We make our candles with natural soy wax and 100% organic cotton wicks so they are smokeless, dripless and burn slowly. Our candles are infused with the purest essential oils to give that sweet, long-lasting fragrance. They are also free from any toxic materials like lead to ensure you enjoy a safe and luxurious experience.
Conclusion
Buying high-quality candles is the first step to a positive candle experience, but taking care of a candle is just as important. Without following proper candle care tips, your candles would burn too fast and unevenly and fill your room with more soot than fragrance. Candle care isn’t as complicated as some make it sound; it only involves simple practices like trimming your wick and keeping burn time within four hours. It also helps if you purchase high-quality candles like Stān dle’s. Stān dle’s candles are some of the best on the market, with amazing scents that make any room warm and inviting. Order yours today!
FAQS
How long do scented candles last?
A small scented candle can last about 20-30 hours. Meanwhile, large candles, over 12 ounces, will burn around five to eight hours per ounce.
For this reason, Stān dle uses a natural soy wax blend that burns slowly and evenly for hours. Visit our website and make your order!
How often should I trim the wick?
Trim your wick to ¼ of an inch after every 4 hours of burn time. Trimming prevents high flames and soot. For an even cleaner, long-lasting experience, choose Stān dle candles with high-quality cotton wicks that are easy to maintain for optimal performance.
What should I do if my candle starts tunneling?
First, put aluminum foil around the edges of the candle. The foil should cover the tunneled wax but leave an open center so the flame can continue to burn as usual. The aluminum foil lets the flame stay even and continuously radiate heat. The foil also helps to retain heat to help melt the leftover wax. Tunneling can happen to the best candles. However, Stān dle candles have been specially formulated to prevent tunneling when burned properly. Available now for purchase!
How can I clean out leftover wax from a finished jar?
The best way is to place the candle jar in a pot of hot water. Remove the jar after about ten minutes when the wax is softened. Then with a knife, remove the wax. But don’t throw away your candle jars, especially Stān dle’s. They can be repurposed.
Is it safe to leave candles unattended?
No. Never leave a burning candle unsupervised, even with candles as safe and slow as Stān dle’s. Always extinguish the flame when leaving the room.
Why does my candle produce black smoke?
Black smoke occurs when the wick is too long. Or the flame is exposed to drafts. Trimming the wick and placing the candle in a draft-free area helps reduce black smoke. While Stān dle’s high-quality ingredients ensure a clean burn, proper candle care matters more.
Why does my candle keep going out?
Your candle keeps going out because the flame is drowning in the wax pool. Fix this by removing the excess wax pooling around the wick with a paper napkin. Then, wait a minute before relighting the candle. Fortunately, this issue doesn’t happen with Stān dle candles because they are made with high-quality wax that burns slowly and strong wicks that can withstand flames and melting wax. Get your Stān dle candle today!
How long should you let a candle burn?
The general consensus is to let a candle burn for four hours. Burning it for less time causes tunneling but burning it for too long overheats the wax and wick. Also, let your candles cool for at least two hours before relighting. Keep these guidelines in mind when using your Stān dle candles.
Can you cover a candle right after blowing it out?
We wouldn’t recommend covering your candle right after blowing it out. The wax and wick still need time to cool and covering it immediately traps heat and moisture that alters the wax’s texture and dulls the candle’s fragrance. Still follow this advice even with a Stān dle candle to preserve its quality.
How to put out a candle?
Use a candle snuffer or extinguisher or hold your index finger in front of your mouth and gently blow.
