FAQs
Trim Before You Light
"This will help to prolong the life of your candle and allow for the cleanest burn possible," she says. If you don't trim your wick, you run the risk of tunneling, "which happens when your wick is too long and the flame gets too hot, causing excess wax to burn," she adds.
What does trimming your wick mean? ›
Keeping the candle wick trimmed helps control your flame height. Too big of a flame will cause the candle to burn to hot which isn't safe for you, your space or your candle. It will also cause and create black soot, not cute.
How to care for candle wicks? ›
Always check that the wick is centered in the melted wax and regularly trim to about ¼” tall. One way to do this is by using a wick trimmer which is angled to make it easy. Using a pair of scissors can also do the job. If you don't like the smoke of an extinguished wick, try using a wick snuffer or dipper.
What happens if I cut my candle's wick too short? ›
When your wick is too short but you can get it to light, do so and allow it to burn for at least 20 minutes or until the entire uppermost wax layer melts. If the wick remains too short, put the candle out, pour the liquid wax onto your paper plate, and let it harden. Light the wick and try again.
How to stop candle tunneling? ›
When you burn your candle, leave it burning long enough to allow the top surface of the wax to melt completely, from the wick all the way to the edge of the candle's container. Not only will this release as much scent as possible but it also will stop tunneling in its tracks.
What happens if you trim the wick too short? ›
A short candle wick causes a faster burn when lit, where your wick begins to “drown” in the wax. Once the wax cools and hardens, the wick can be too short to light, or buried under the top layer of your candle.
Do candles expire? ›
The lifetime of a candle mainly depends on the type of wax used, as well as how it's stored. The short answer is that certain types of candles, like paraffin candles, can last almost indefinitely when stored properly. Other types, like soy candles, are best used within a year or two.
Why is my candle flame so high? ›
The most common reason for a tall flame is when the length of your candle wick is too long. You can fix this issue by using a wick trimmer to cut your wick down to 1/4 inch above the solid wax before every burn and once every 4 hours if you like to keep it burning.
What is the etiquette for candles? ›
Do not burn candles for longer than 4 hours or less than 1 hour and never leave a burning candle unattended. To obtain an optimum burn always allow the entire surface of the candle to become molten as this will ensure an even burn and prevent tunnelling.
Why is the first burn of a candle so important? ›
Get it right the first time.
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.
Particularly for their first burn, candles are supposed to burn for at least one hour per inch of container diameter. So, if you bought a new candle that is 3 inches in diameter, you should burn your candle for at least 3 hours (though not more than 4 at a time).
Should you put the lid back on a candle after blowing it out? ›
Covering the candle with its lid is not recommended.
Some have rubber seals or other material that can melt. Lids also trap the smoke and leave soot on the wick and candle wax, making you lose some of your favorite fragrances. It's very unappealing when you relight your candle.
What happens if you don't trim a candle wick? ›
As the flame of the candle is lit, the wick slowly gets consumed and burned away. If it is not trimmed properly, it can cause the flame to be too large or too small, leading to an uneven amount of wax melting and a potentially dangerous situation.
What happens if you cut a candle wick too short? ›
If the wick is too short even to light, melt a bit of the wax with a heat gun and pour it onto a paper plate. You can also scrape out room-temperature wax using a butter knife to expose the wick so you can light it.
How to fix candle tunneling? ›
Use aluminum foil to fix a candle that has started to tunnel
Poke a hole in the middle at least an inch wide so that the flame gets enough oxygen to burn. Allow the candle to burn long enough to melt the wax to the edge of the container. The aluminum foil helps hold in enough heat to melt the entire surface of wax.
