Candle Tips and Facts

Safety First!

Never leave a burning candle unattended!

Keep the wick trimmed to 1/4″ for best burning.

Always keep lit candles out of reach of children & pets and away from flammable items.

Always burn candles in proper candle holders.

Votives and Pillars *must* be used in a holder which is large enough to catch and contain the melt pool.

Plan to burn a candle for at least 1 hour for every inch of diameter, or until a pool of melted wax covers the top of the candle. (This is especially important on larger candles such as pillars & 3-Wick candles or you’ll end up with a hole burned straight down the middle of the candle!) Burning a candle for more than 1 hour past diameter is not advised as the melt pool can release itself. (messy!)

Use the proper size votive holder. This is very important! Many candleholders are beautiful and look nice when lit, however they are not made to burn the candle completely down. If the holder is too wide or the base is too big, the wax will spread and the wick is unable to create a melt pool all the way across the face of the wax. If there is any of the candle left when it’s done burning, you do not have the proper size.

The wick is designed to produce a small black carbon cap at the top of the wick as it burns. This is normal and helps radiate heat to the edge of the candle. You should not trim the wick nor touch it while it is cold! Immediately after extinguishing the flame is the best time to remove carbon deposits or other foreign materials from the liquid wax.

Once extinguishing the flame from a votive candle, center the wick before wax solidifies to prevent the flame from getting close to the edge and cracking the glass votive container during your next burn. You will end up with less broken or cracked votive holders.

Usage

Use a candle snuffer or moistened fingertips to pinch out the flame -or- Dip the wick into the liquid wax, using a non-flammable instrument. This technique eliminates smoking.

Store candles in the refrigerator to promote slower burning.

Pop the left over wax out of the jar or votive holder and place them in a wax tart burner. Light a tealight candle underneath it and it releases a nice scent for many hours, just like fragrance tarts.

If you spill wax on the carpet, or fabric, the easiest way to remove the wax is by placing a paper towel, or a brown grocery bag over it. Place a heated iron over the paper towel or bag, and the heat will cause the wax to soak up.

Light candles while dusting your home. he dust will be attracted to and burn up in the candle flame as it tries to settle back down. (Same goes for cigarette/cigar smoke too.)

To remove wax from glass, place it in your freezer for about 10 minutes. The wax should pop right out.

Another method for removing votive candles from their holders: Put the container in a sink of hot water. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then hold it upside down and it should pop right out.

You can also fill a votive cup with no more than 1/4″ of water before placing your votive in the holder to make wax easier to remove.

Rub your candles with vegetable oil to remove fingerprints, smudges & small scratches.

Keep candles out of drafts while burning to prevent uneven burning.

Warmer weather will cause candles to burn more quickly than in colder weather.

Herbs, flowers & spices are flammable and may spark & flame higher than the candle would otherwise normally burn. Please utilize extra cautions when burning these candles & move herbs & flowers out of the flame to keep candle from burning too fast.

Scents

The degree to which we can smell when candles are burning is affected by at least ten variables:

The specific fragrance – some scents are stronger by nature than others.

The size of the room – a smaller room will contain the fragrance vapor in higher concentration, creating a stronger impression.

Air flow and quality – since fragrance vapor is carried in the air, factors such as humidity, air conditioning, a fan, an open window, etc., may affect its movement.

The size of the wax pool – the greater the surface area of liquid wax, the more fragrance may evaporate into the air.

The size of the flame – a large flame will burn more of the fragrance vapor before it can escape into the air (keep the wick trimmed).

The temperature at which a fragrance oil vaporizes – some vaporize more readily, permeating the air to a greater extent. Other sources perceptions are easily confused by multiple scents.

Other burning candles – their flames may burn off the fragrant vapors. Length of exposure – our noses desensitize to fragrances over time.

The person smelling the fragrance – the sense of smell varies from person to person, just like eyesight, hearing or taste.