Candles are magical and can enhance any room and mood. Like most good things, they benefit from some care. I'll help you avoid common candle mistakes that people make when they burn candles by following these quick tips for enjoying and getting the most out of your candles.
The first time you use your candle:
- If your candle is from my shop, there's no need to trim the wick, you can light it as is
- Burn it for at least 2 hours or until the entire top layer has melted. This will help the life of your candle and avoid tunnelling
- Candle tunnelling is when you're burning a candle and only a small amount of wax around the wick melts. This eventually creates what looks like a tunnel, with the wick going deeper and the sides of the candle remaining. Not only does tunnelling look bad but it also wastes most of your candle because all of the wax cannot melt down properly
- If your candle wick isn't lighting properly after being lit, blow it out and relight it. Sometimes candles can be like mini fireplaces so you have to make sure your flame is off to a good start
Every time you use your candle:
- Trim the wick to ⅛” - 3/16" before lighting the candle - this is very important. I recommend using wick trimmers but if you're in a pinch, you could also use scissors or even clean nail trimmers
- When trimming the wick you want to remove the black burnt edges without taking off too much. Consider it giving your candle a little trim at the salon and you're aiming for the wick to be ⅛” - 3/16" long
- Burn your candle until the entire top layer melts (and no more than 4 hours at a time). You're looking for the wax to melt all the way to the edge of the glass. If you don't have enough time for the candle wax to melt to the edge, consider burning a smaller candle which will melt in a shorter time or burning your candle when you do have time for the entire top layer to melt
Always remember:
- When your candle is lit, burn it on a level surface, avoid touching or moving it and keep it away from any drafts, flammable materials, pets and children
- Keep your candle free from any debris, such as wick trimmings or dust
- Always follow the safety warning on the bottom of your candle
- Never leave a burning candle unattended
- Always leave at least 4 inches between burning candles
- Candle jar will be hot while lit, please do not touch it or move while lit and allow it to cool before touching it
- I recommend always snuffing out a candle by using a candle snuffer (instead of blowing it out. Save that for your birthday cake!)
When your candle is almost done:
- When the candle has 5mm of wax remaining, it's considered done (don't burn it all the way down to the bottom)
- You can now give the candle jar a new life by recycling or reusing it
- To reuse your candle jar, simply fill the candle jar with warm soapy water, remove the wick and any labels and wipe clean. Feel free to share how you're reusing the jar by tagging us on Instagram @brightcandleco_
If you have any questions or need any help with taking care of your candles, please get in touch with us at hello@brightcandleco.com
MORE FROM BRIGHT CANDLE CO.
Connect with Bright Candle Co. on Instagram @brightcandleco_ and TikTok @brightcandleco. You can find their sustainable soy candles online at brightcandleco.com and at select local markets and shows.