Candle Care 101: 5 Quick Tips

Okay friends, we have to get this off our chest. At the core, candles are straightforward – you light and enjoy. But with a little more care, you can make the most of your favorite candles while avoiding the trappings that contribute to 2% of yearly fires (Britney can vouch for us!).

Tip 01 : Trim your wicks.

Trimming your wick is like the strand test of the candle world, but we're only playing ourselves by not trimming our wicks. Keeping a candle’s wick at ¼” makes the most of your candle’s burn time. Here's how:

A lit candle pulls up melted wax through the wick, feeding the flame. The flame grows hotter, melting the wax, and the cycle continues. Leaving your wicks long gives the fire more to burn and accelerates how quickly your candle will melt. That means less time to enjoy your favorite scents.

If you weren’t convinced, trimming your wicks also helps prevent sooting, smoke, and the dark residue left behind inside your candle containers. Plus, the higher the flame, the more hazardous it can become. 

Make good choices! 

Tip 02 : Don’t add fuel to the fire.
While we’re still on less appealing subjects, remove any debris inside your wax. Just like our last tip, having debris like trimmed wicks, glitter, or dried flowers (I know ☹️), these things can catch fire and spiral quickly.

As tempting as visiting a botanica and getting a prayer candle with some added karmic spice (channeled through herbs and chunky glitter of course)... we strongly do not recommend adding toppers to candles or burning ones with them. They can spiral quickly, especially if left unattended.

Tip 03 : Keep your candle company.
If you’re lighting a candle, don't leave it unattended. Not only will you be enjoying your scent of choice with it nearby, but you’ll be able to take action if anything goes awry. Watch out for any flammable objects nearby.

Tip 04 : It’s about timing.
Light candles for 2-4 hours at a time.

Why a 2 hour minimum? When lighting a candle, go in with the intention of leaving it on for at least 2 hours. Candle wax has a special type of ‘memory.’ Vegetable wax candles have often cured, meaning wax that has been recently melted will melt faster than cured wax when you light it again.

If you extinguish your candle before its melt pool has reached the edges, your candle can tunnel down instead of melting outwards towards the more cured parts of your candles. Don’t worry, you can help fix that, but to avoid the hassle, let it burn.

Why a 4 hour maximum? As you burn your candle, carbon starts collecting on the wick. The longer you burn, the more likely it can mushroom, which means you’ll get a large unstable flame that can cause soot and smoke. 


Tip 05 : Hands off.
Keep your candle in one place. The sides of your candle jar and the wax inside can heat up and can cause burns. If you find a spot you’d rather be after burning your candle, extinguish the candle and let it solidify before you take it with you.