While many may think there isn't much to burning a candle (just lighting and letting the candle do the rest), there are actually a few steps we recommend taking so you can get the best burn possible. Follow these guidelines and you'll get much more out of your candles with every burn and no wasted wax (or scent)!
1. Get it right the first time
The first burn will always be the most important! When lighting for the first time, burn the candle until wax melts across the entire surface up to the sides of the vessel as this will prevent tunneling, and create an even burn for the duration of the candle's 'life'.
If a candle is not burned for long enough to allow the wax to liquefy or to melt from edge to edge of the container, it will create a “memory ring.” Once a candle has a “memory ring,” it will continue to tunnel for the life of the candle. This may take up to 2-4 hours, but we promise it will make your candle last longer.
2. Trim the wick. Every. Single. Time.
Each time you want to burn your candle (which we know is often), start by trimming the wick to between 1/8 and 1/4 inches long. You can use scissors or a wick trimmer to cut the wick down, but no matter what you do, always trim, every single time.
Why exactly do we recommend you trim every time? Trimmed wicks will give you a cleaner, brighter burn. Untrimmed wicks are a lot more likely to take on a strange shape that dulls and obscures the flame.
3. Let the wax melt all the way across (especially for that first burn!)
We want to make sure you get the most of each burn! Once your candle's lit, don't blow it out until the top layer of wax has melted all the way across. This might take several hours — so don't set out to burn a candle at all unless you've got time to kill.
Whenever you fail to achieve full melt, you're contributing to a process we like to call tunnelling, which looks exactly how it sounds. When you're candle experiences tunnelling, the wick starts to sink lower and lower, like a tunnel is forming right through the center of the candle.
Eventually, the tunnel will grow so deep that it'll be tough to light the wick at all. More importantly, all that unmelted wax on the sides represents hours of lovely fragrance and burn time you bought but won't ever get to utilize.
It takes patience, but if you melt the wax all the way across every time you burn, the surface of the candle will stay flat and the sides of the jar will stay clean, all the way down until the candle is spent.
4. Don't burn all the way down
Although it is tempting to continue burning your candle until the wax is gone, we strongly advise against this as the flame needs a solid base of wax to avoid overheating the glass jar. If there is less than ¼’’ of wax remaining, there is potential for the glass to shatter or break due to overheating.
5. Keep your candles in an appropriate place
To have the scent and quality of the candle last, avoid placing your candles where they will be directly exposed to sunlight or harsh lighting.
Other Candle Care Tips
- Keep wick centered and trimmed to ¼’’ at all times
- Burn candle within sight at all times
- Keep out of the reach of children and pets
- Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire
- Place on temperature safe surface to avoid heat damage
- Keep away from drafts
- Keep wax pool free of debris
- Do not burn candles for more than 4 hours at a time
- Discontinue use when ¼’’ of wax remains
- Do not use water or any other liquid to extinguish your candle
- Move candle away from any vents, fans, or air drafts