8 Candle Care Tips for Beginners

Do you love the soft glow and instant allure of candles? They provide so much more than light and give us a glimpse into the past before electricity provided illumination with the flip of a switch.

All you need to do is light the wick, and you are off to the races, right? When it comes to candles, there is so much more than that. Whether you use natural candles or other types, they need proper care and treatment. Taking care of candles will give you better light, a longer-lasting burn, and a more pleasing look.

There are essential candle care tips to remember for your next romantic dinner or power outage. Here are eight care tips for beginners:

Tip #1: First Burn

The first time you light a new candle, you want to let it burn long enough to melt the entire surface. This will ensure you don’t have tunnelling or a raised rim that never catches up with the rest of the melting.

This process may take a few hours. However, the wait is worth it, so your candle looks even as it burns and lasts longer.

Tip #2: Wick Trimming

The wick on a candle is there for one purpose: to draw up the wax into the flame for fuel. Depending on the size of the candle, it may have more than one wick, and this is where your flame burns from.

To make your candle last longer, you should trim your wick to around 6mm before each use. This will cut away a wick mushroom and leave you with a fresh wick for igniting. This also controls the size of the flame and reduces soot to give you a clean burn. Be careful not to trim too low because you may end up drowning the wick in liquid wax.

Tip #3: Avoid Drafty Areas

If you light a candle in a place that gets drafty or has a breezy blowing in, your candle will not last too long. The conditions cause uneven burning, tunnelling and smoking.

After you light your candle, look for any excessive flickering. This is a sign of too much air movement around the flame, and the cause could be an open window, vents or a drafty area.

Tip #4: Keep Burning Under 4 Hours

Candles can be fickle, and while you need to burn them for long enough to get even melting on the top and allow for the fragrance to flow, too long has negative effects.

After 3-4 hours, a candle gets too hot, making the wax too thin. Thin wax creates more soot and may even damage the fragrance oils, so try to reach the 4-hour burn duration and then put it out to enjoy for another day.

Let the candle completely harden back up before moving it to avoid spilling hot wax, and never leave a candle burning unattended. It is a recipe for fiery disaster.

Tip #5: Keep Multiple Candles Apart

Nothing is more artistic than having multiple candles on a mantel or table. They complement each other, and they give you a great design aesthetic when they are tired. The only issue you may have is if you put them too close.

The touching Candles may transfer heat and end up melting the other from the side. This may warp your candles, and you will lose that sleek look you are after.

Tip #6: Don’t Burn the Candle Away

While you want to get the most out of your candles, you don’t want to burn them down. As long as there is wax for fuel, the candle will continue to burn. The problem is that as the flame gets to the bottom of the vessel, it can overheat the glass or metal.

Enjoy your candle to its fullest but take a small wax loss by throwing it out when it gets around 5-10mm from the bottom.

Tip #7: Candle Storage

When not in use, your candles must be stored properly to keep them from getting damaged or dirty. Heat and dust are among the enemies, so wrap them in an old towel or keep them under glass until you need them. Other no-no storage places include:

• Direct sunlight
• Freezer
• Hot area

Tip #8: Put Out Your Candle Properly

Anyone can put a candle out. Just blow as hard as you can, and it will go out. Bad idea, though. You need to apply enough air force to knock the flame off the wick, and you are good to go.

The best and safest way to extinguish a candle is with a snuffer. It smothers the flame and doesn’t allow any melted wax to fly loose. If your candle is in a jar, you can simply put the lid on it and starve the flame of oxygen. You can also use a wick dipper that pushes the wick into the liquid wax and straightens it to dry.

Candles are very enjoyable and provide the right light for many different occasions. Follow these candle care tips, and your candles will serve you well for their entire, waxy life.