5 useful tips to help you get the perfect burn from your candle
Candles! Ahhhhhhh, the soothing burn of candles!!!
Known to aide in self-care routines, setting calming tones in intimate spaces and also known for sacred spiritual regimes, candles have been in existence since even before you were born--- yeah, that's right, YOU! lol.
As an avid candlemaker and candle lover, one of the things that you will find in an abundance of in my home is candles.
Like everything else, candles too require their share of care and upkeep in order to maintain good and longevous operational health. In this article we will outline some of the greatest practices you as my fellow candle lover could---and should---- use to ensure the longevity, and the overall health of your beautifully scented candle.
1. Trim your candles' wicks 1/4 inch before each burn.
Jarred candles, or candles that are created to burn within a vessel of some sort, all need a wick to assist (or guide) the candle as it burns. Trimming your candle wick(s) 1/4 inch helps the burn quality by, first, decreasing the existence of soot. Soot is the black stain that is generally left on your candle's vessel.
When a candle wick is untrimmed, it will also begin to mushroom--- or "shroom"--- which then creates carbon build up, and then promotes an environment where an excess amount of fuel is being delivered to the flame at an excessive rate, thus creating an overbearing amount of smoke and soot.
Next, maintaining a trimmed wick aides in the wax pool of your candle burning even and consistent. This ensures you the maximum burn time.
2. Keep candle away from drafty areas,
Keeping candles away from drafty areas/items, such as fans, vents and heavily trafficked areas, helps candles with fulfilling it's goal of maintaining an even and consistent burn.
A candle's ability to burn evenly guarantees a longer life span.
Also, keeping a your candle(s) away from drafty areas is a great way of ensuring safety as a wavering flame opens a burning candle up to the possibility of catching on to home furniture and decor, where damages can then transfer from the operation of the actual candle to the damages to your home.
3. Do NOT burn candles for more than 4hrs at a time.
Now, if you're anything like me, you want to burn your candle all day! You want to bask in the sweet aroma of Self-Care and immense decadence, unfortunately, this isn't a reality.
It is recommended that you not burn your candle for more than 4 hours in order to prevent overheating of your candle's vessel.
Overheating can also promote the complete melting of your wax, which could then reposition your candle's wick and cause tunneling (this is where your candle wax melts in a concentrated area; not evenly).
Another thing to consider with excessively burning your beautiful candle in a single burn is that it can also cause the fragrance to burn out and cause the eradication of scent---which is the whole purpose of the candle, NO?
4. Keep candle's wax pool free from debris.
Unless your candle was originally created with dried herbs, crystals or other additives, candle wax should be free of any and everything.
Debris in candle wax have been linked to caused safety concerns. It is recommended that when a candle is not in use, it should be kept covered with it's original top, this protects candle from dirt, dust and other debris that may be hidden in spaces where your candle is stored, or other general areas.
5. Re-Center your wick.
Granted, re-centering your wick may or may not be necessary prior to burning your candle, but in events where necessary, it should be done.
Wick re-centering, like wick trimming, too assists in your candles burn consistency.
While wax is still liquid, if tilted, repositioning is a great assist because it keeps the wick centered and away from the walls of the vessel keeping it from overheating and eradicating that the heightened possibility of glass breakage, and soot stains.
The proper maintenance of your candle can promise optimal burn time and candle health. I understand, as a candle lover, your ultimate goal is to ensure that you get what you've paid for.
Like everything else, candles too have their share of upkeep necessities.