So, you’ve invested in a beautiful scented candle and you want your home to be immersed in its luscious aroma. The problem is, if the candle isn’t looked after properly, its lifespan will diminish dramatically. And this isn’t a myth, it’s definitely a thing. I’ve been there.
Watching your scented candle fail to perform in the way you’d hoped is disappointing. By ensuring you adhere to the following basic principles, every time you light that jar of joy, you can rest assured your money is well spent and your home truly benefits.
Dos
1 – Do burn your scented candle for long enough.
Cannot stress this enough! Only burn your candle if you know you’ll burn it for at least an hour depending on its size. Rule of thumb is usually 1 hour per inch of diameter. This is because if you don’t burn it long enough for the wax to melt from one edge of the jar to the other, it will form a ‘memory ring’ causing something called tunnelling.
Terrible tunnelling with multiple memory rings. Shameful!
Once this happens, your lovely candle goes into a downward spiral and will continue to tunnel.
Cringeworthy close up of the dreaded tunnelling.
The wax and oils go to waste and the burn will never be the same again. Unless you spend time and effort reviving your scented candle.
Letting your candle burn for the minimum time allows the wax to melt evenly, right to the edge of the container and a full scent throw is achieved.
Like this!
2 – Do trim your candle wick.
Hold on. Isn’t it a fully functioning scented candle without having to get up close and attack it with a shaky hand and scissors?
Firstly, in the candle world, we use wick trimmers daaarling, not scissors.
Candle wicks are thready and thick. As I discovered, using scissors can fray the wick and impossible to use when wick is further down the container. And before you know it, a seemingly simple task turns sweat inducing. And you don’t have time for that. You deserve a wick trimmer!
But why are we trimming the wick again? Have you ever burnt a candle with the flame almost reaching up to the ceiling? Perhaps you stood there for a while wondering if this was normal but slowly backed away hoping it would be ok? This ‘blimey, that looks a tad dangerous’ phenomenon is probably because the wick is too long.
It’s getting longer and longer……
The wick also becomes charred on top with a bulbous appearance, reducing its efficiency.
Looks like a broken heart ☹
So before lighting it, take a look. The wick needs to be ¼ inch from the surface of the wax. That’s around the length of a tic tac. If it isn’t, trim it! This will ensure an even flame, less soot, a controlled burn and a longer lasting candle. (And your ceiling will be intact.)
3 – Do use a candle snuffer or dipper to extinguish it.
This may seem over cautious. But hear me out. Blowing out a scented candle isn’t going to break it. And the candle police aren’t going to smash through your front door with pepper spray.
But your home has just been transformed into a haven of luxury and relaxation. The last thing you want is to replace your tranquil surroundings with the smell and sight of soot!
Using the right tools means you have less soot and for those of us that don’t know the strength of our own breath, less splatter.
I have an ornate brass snuffer.
But I also like extinguishing my candles with a tea bag squeezer as it’s a little less messy.
4 – Do place candles away from a draught.
This sounds obvious but sometimes a candle is unintentionally placed in a draughty area near an open window or near a door that’s frequently opened and closed. Placing it in a ventilated but still setting means the flame won’t flicker and the wax evenly melts with a steady heat distribution. And your flame won’t go out. Bonus!
Don’ts
1 – Don’t burn scented candles to the bottom
You may be tempted to enjoy every last aorta of your beautiful candle, but burning it right to the bottom may overheat the container. The flame won’t have enough wax in the jar and can brush up against the side. In some cases, a glass jar may even shatter.
When you see the wax at half an inch from the bottom, roughly half the length of your thumb, it’s time to whisper your farewells.
2 – Don’t move scented candles whilst burning.
OK, I admit I’ve done this.
Nice little dribble on the side my pretty candle.
I soon discovered a little trip or jerk can spill hot wax all over your hand, or worse your carpet! And even more perilous, the smooth evenness of the wax, is disturbed as the liquid wax swishes to the side of the container. What a waste!
Make sure you choose a good place to keep your lit candle, from the start.
3 – If hypersensitive, don’t use unreputed scented candles with synthetic elements.
Some candles are made of fragrance oils which have a synthetic component. These fragrance oils are also referred to as perfume oils. if you’re very prone to allergies and hypersensitivities, opt for candles that use pure aromatherapy essential oils (those that agree with you) such as The English Soap Company, Neom, ESPA or Benevolence LA to name a few.
But although some high end brands such as Diptyque and Jo Malone do use fragrance oil blends in their candles, you ‘ll be pleased to know they use very high quality oils that follow stringent regulations and have no toxic or harmful elements. Phew!
4 – Don’t store candle in sunlight or heat.
Your candle will thrive best in a cool, dry place (where most precious things reside), preferably with the lid back on to avoid gathering dust when not in use.
When unwittingly stored near sunlight or under a desk lamp with the light on, the fragrance oils oxidise and degrade, diminishing the overall quality and scent throw.
The oils in scented candles also start losing their power when stored near hot radiators or humid kitchens. So that your cherished candle can have a good lifespan, store it at or below room temperature.
5 – Stringent Candle safety.
According to the London Fire Brigade, 200 house fires last year were caused by lit candles.
- Do not leave candles unattended and do remember to snuff them out.
- Keep them away from children and pets.
- Do not light them near curtains or other materials and ensure they are on a heat resistant surface.
- Do not put them under shelves.
- Do not burn them for more than 3-4 hours at a time. This results in ‘mushrooming’ due to a long wick and flame, which causes excess smoke and a black stained jar.
This is an example of a clean burning candle that was burning for around 3 hours. The top of the wick started to mushroom, at which point I extinguished it with my candle wick dipper. Yet another candle accessory!
So, what’s the moral of the story? Do not despair if you’ve had bad relationships with candles in the past. By remembering these incredibly important but simple points, you can keep them happy, whilst they keep you happy. Win Win!
