Now that the holiday season has passed, I am sure many of you were gifted candles. I mean, who doesn’t love a good candle, right?
Now, you are probably asking yourself, is there really a RIGHT way to burn a candle? The answer is 100% yes. I’ll be the first to admit that before this year I never burned my candles properly. I always wondered why I kept getting tunneling, wax covering my wicks, and ash popping off the wicks when I re-lit the candle. To be honest, I always thought it was the candle’s fault. I searched high and low to find a candle that eliminated all these problems for me and never succeeded.
I decided to suck it up and figured this is just the problem I would have to face if I want my house to smell like fresh-cut Christmas trees 24-7.
Then, one day after picking up my favorite bath & body works candles, I realized there was a piece of paper inside my shopping bag. This paper had laid out the proper way to burn your candles, and my candle burning etiquette changed.
I was doing it all wrong before and finally have discovered the best-kept secrets on how to burn a candle the right way.
Tips for burning your candles:
X Trim your wicks:
Before lighting your candle make sure to trim your wick to about ¼ inch in length. If a wick is too long when you are burning the candle you can get popping or debris. This can cause uneven burning or begin to droop in your melted wax. I love this wick trimmer from CB2.
X Let the wax melt in an even layer- especially the first time:
If you follow one tip from this entire post, let it be this one. The first time you burn a candle is the most important. If you don’t let the wax liquefy in an even layer (edge to edge), the wax will form a memory ring. A memory ring will cause the wax to tunnel for the rest of the candle’s life, which you do not want!
X Remove Debris:
Any fallen wick trimmings or debris should be removed from the candle before burning to not cause uneven wax melting.
X Keep flame away from moving air:
If you place a candle by moving air whether that be a fan, air conditioner, or even an area with people consistently passing by, then you are destined to get those pesky black marks along the glass of your candle. Avoid this by keeping the flame away from moving air.
X Never blow out a candle:
I’m laughing while writing this tip because I can hear myself saying, “Matt do not blow out that candle!!” from rooms away. The reason behind this tip is that blowing out a candle will disrupt the wax. Like many of these other tips state, we do not want to disrupt the wax in any way. Plus, you won’t get that gross burning smell when you blow it out.
X Get the proper tools:
I’m not gonna lie, I always thought wick trimmers and snuffers were just some gimmicks. But, as soon as I invested in the proper tools, I always get an even burn.
X Use an electric lighter or match:
To prevent the black ash from traditional lighters from getting on your pretty candle jar, use an electric lighter or long match to light your candle.
X Store your candles properly:
Store your candles in a cool, dark place to help them keep their fragrance and keep the wax in optimal burning condition.
What are your favorite candles right now?
XO,