Who knew that there is actually a right way to burn candles? It seems weird for there to be a right way for such a simple task, but if you want to keep your candles looking nice and lasting as long as possible, there are a few steps you should take.
Trim your wick
Before lighting your candle, make sure your wick is trimmed between 1/8 and 1/4”. Trimming the wick gives you a cleaner and brighter burn and avoids the gross black smoke stains on the jar. Make sure the wick is cool before trimming, and trim each time before lighting.
I recommend investing in a wick trimmer because not only does it look super cute on your coffee table, but it prevents the burnt wick from falling into the candle and leaving black bits. If you don’t have a trimmer, you can also use scissors or nail clippers.
Use matches
Instead of a lighter, use matches. Lighters are too hot and cause black burns on the glass. I recommend getting a cute match strike for your coffee table. Just make sure to use with “strike anywhere matches.”
The first burn
The first time you light your candle, let it burn for 2-3 hours, depending on the size. You want the top layer all to be completely liquid. This allows for your candle to burn evenly and avoid tunneling (the leftover wax on the sides). If you’re letting this happen to your candles, you’re basically wasting them.
Don’t burn for too long
You shouldn’t be burning your candle for more than 4-6 hours at a time. If your whole jar turns to liquid, it can overheat and cause the wicks to shift around, causing it to burn improperly the next time you go to use it. I’ve also seen overheated candles melt the label on the jar.
Use a snuffer
Rather than blowing out your candle, use a candle snuffer. When you blow on the candle, it causes the room to get smokey, and you can cover the wick in wax, causing problems lighting it in the future. If your candle comes with a lid, you can also put that on to snuff it out.
1/2” rule
When there is a 1/2” of wax at the bottom of the jar, it’s time to stop burning. At this point, you might not even be able to light the wick, but if you do, you’re risking burning the surface the candle is on. The flame is too close to the bottom of the container and can cause permanent damage.
Buy multi-wick
A candle with three wicks is ideal. Reason being, it will help the candle burn more evenly, thus making your candle last longer. If you find a candle with one wick and it has a diameter of more than three inches, don’t buy it. It will never produce enough heat to burn evenly, and you’ll end up with tunneling.
SHOP THIS POST
SHOP MATCHES AND STRIKES
