3 Tell-Tale Signs that you're burning your candle all wrong.
You've noticed that your current candle fave isn't burning the way that you know that it probably should be. The flame is fairly off, the vessel/jar is slowly blackening and the candle's melt pool seems to melt downward in the center only.
Face it, there may be something that you are doing wrong. No worries, WE CAN HELP!
Unbeknownst to many, there is both a right and wrong way to burn your candle.
Anyway, follow along, I'll further explain!
1. Tunneling.
Tunneling is when only the center of the wax, where the wick is housed, melts down; while the other wax around that area, nearest the wall of the candle, remains solid. Tunneling is a tale tell sign that upon the initial burn of your candle, the first layer of wax had not been completely melted. This generally occurs when your candle is not burned long enough to substantiate, or create a complete wax melt pool.
Candles have memory---ahhhh ha, I bet you didn't know this!
Candle memory is created during the first burn, and will dictate the direction of how the candle burns, and the wax behavior, throughout the duration of the life of the candle. When your candle is not burned long enough to create a reliable melt pool this creates an unsteady candle memory, which is where tunneling begins.
Solution:
So, because I'm a "prevention" kind of girl, prevention is far more essential than solution, and in this case, ensuring that the initial burn of your candle is substantial is a way of preventing tunneling. It is recommended that the first burn should be equivalent to that of 1hr for every 1 diameter inch of the actual vessel. As far as actual solution goes, to cure a tunneled candle, using a heat gun, or even your handy-dandy hair dryer, to reheat the wax (where the entire top layer has a full and consistent melt pool) is a solid fix, and will create a viable possibility of reinventing candle memory, in which then offers a sturdy burn.
2. Sooting.
Soot is a very popular word in the candle community, and whether you are a candle maker or a candle lover, you have some great understanding of this undesirable candle guest.
Soot is the black powder-like, flaky substance that is produced due to the incomplete burning of organic matter. Soot builds up on your candle's vessel, and kills the aesthetic, or beauty and look, of the candle.
Appearing for a variety of reasons, soot is not a sign of a candle that is functioning within positive operational health, and is a sign that you may be burning your candle(s) for way too long. The recommended burn time of an average candle is 4hrs max per candle burn. Excessively burning your candle creates overheating and thus, creates a breeding ground for this unwanted guest.
Solution: In this case, ensuring that you are burning your candle with the burn time as recommended will alleviate sooting, and assist you in maintaining that beautiful fragrance throw that attracted you to that candle in the first place, and keep the soot away.
3. Wavering Flame.
As insignificant as swaying flame may sound, this is actually more essential than you may know.
A wavering flame can be a sign that your candle is misplaced. YES---misplaced! The ideal candle should always have a calm, contained and safe flame. A flying flame is direct evidence that there is some sort of draft in the vicinity of your flame.
A draft from a fan, vent or high traffic in the area can cause a trembling flame, and allows for the potential of the jar to overheat (which could cause glass breakage), or for your flame to catch fire onto furniture or home decor---which is a candle lover's nightmare!
Solution: Solution here is very simple! Make sure your lit candle is in an area of your home, office or workspace where there is little to no draft so to secure a safe and comfortable burn.
So, THERE! There you have it, your perfect candle, with the most adorning fragrance throw, burning just as perfectly as you had imagined it would when you first purchased it and traveling thru your vulnerability and your place of peace, creating more peace all because NOW you're burning your candle correctly!