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Candles seem so simple, right? . . .
You light it, you enjoy it, you blow it out. That is the basic gist, however there are some lesser known tips that when practiced, can save you burn time, prevent a mess, and generally help you enjoy your candles to the fullest.
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Tip 1) Bigger isn't necessarily better
When you light a candle, the heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick. This liquid wax is then drawn up the wick by capillary action. The wax acts as fuel for the wick. With time, the wick gives off more and more heat, melting more of the wax further from the wick(s). Once the wick has enough melted wax for fuel, you'll then begin smelling vapors of the excess warmed wax, wonderfully emitting fragrance.
In turn, if you have a candle with 3-wicks versus 1-wick, the fragrance emitted will be fuller bodied and more robust, as it nearly equivalent to burning 3 of the 1-wick candles.
A good rule of thumb that I like to go by is that you should purchase a candle with your room's size and preferred fragrance amount in mind. For example, in our 1915 Rowhouse, our rooms are small to medium with doors and walls at every turn. I prefer to burn only 1 or 2 wick candles, as a 3-wick candle is overpowering for our space. For a home with an open-layout, I'd recommend a 2-wick or 3-wick, so the fragrance can better permeate the space.
Just because you like the size or the estimated burn-time of a candle, doesn't mean it's always the best fit for you! When you're buying your next candle, think about your desired fragrance amount and even the amount of time you estimate you'll be burning it for (see tip #3!).
Tip 2) Trim those wicks!
The types of wicks are practically endless when it comes to world of candle making. All brands and series of wicks differ from one another from how they're braided to what they're coated in. One thing is unanimous though- candle wicks need trimmed.
A naturally occurring and unavoidable result of the combustion of a candle is carbon deposits (little balls of black build-up on the wick). Carbon deposits should always be trimmed and safely disposed of before every single burn to ensure a safe, efficient, and clean candle burn.
Candles that aren't trimmed result in black soot build-up on the glass of the candle or surrounding area, combustion of the carbon deposits when lighting the candle (you'll hear them pop!), and a big potential fire hazard. Not to mention, the candle's longevity and fragrance output will be undesirable if the wicks aren't trimmed of carbon deposits every. single. time!
Tip 3) Let it burn
Candlemakers consider candles to have a type of 'memory'. Once you don't allow a candle to achieve a full melt-pool (melted around all edges), the candle has a harder time catching up on all of the wax left behind, on it's next burn. The idea is that the candle 'remembers' it's bounds and won't melt the build-up left from the previous burn.
Our guideline on how to burn a candle efficiently is to burn the candle for at least one hour per every inch of the candle’s diameter.
For example: If you’re burning one of our Signature Tumbler candles (3.5" in diameter), you should burn for a minimum of 3.5 hours to achieve a full melt pool.
In addition to Tip #1, this should also be considered when candle shopping. Not everyone likes to burn candles for 4 whole hours, some like to enjoy them for 2 hours or less. If that's you, you'd be better off purchasing a candle with a smaller diameter to shorten burn durations.
Tip 4) Watch the burn time
Remember the pesky carbon deposits from Tip #2? Well they form and grow during the duration of your candle burn, so burning a candle all day long can be incredibly dangerous!
We recommend burning for no more than 4 hours at a time.
In addition to carbon deposits, burning a candle until all of it's wax has melted can result in a verrrry hot glass that has potential of shattering or exploding! Yikes. No one wants that!
Tip 5) A clean finish
Smoke is inevitable. You're extinguishing a fire! However, the amount of smoke can be mitigated by using tools such as a wick dipper or a bell snuffer.
A wick dipper allows you to dribble melted wax onto the candle wick to suffocate it or bend your wick and submerge it momentarily in the melted wax. It also works great to grab carbon deposits or debris that may fall off into the melted wax.
Bell snuffers have been used for centuries to extinguish candle flames by momentarily preventing oxygen from reaching the flame. You simply hover the flame with the bell snuffer and wait for a small wisp of smoke to emerge. C'est tout!
Tip 6) Enjoy often
Candles are best when used. I always chat with folks at markets and they're afraid to burn their candles because they don't want them to 'go away'. They collect them in their closets or cabinets instead of using them.
I'm here to say treat yourself and enjoy them! Candles are my favorite way to unwind and nest- and I know that they'll enrich your life, too.
Besides, I'm always coming up with new fragrances, you've got to stay up to date! ;-)
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Thanks for reading. Happy Candle Burning!
