Candles are for All Occasions

 It used to be that candles were only used to provide light in emergency situations, but this is not the case any more. We now use them to set the mood for a romantic evening, or  to decorate a room. We use aromatherapy candles to help relieve stress or help relax us after a hard day at work, and we have scented candles to arouse our sense of smell. We have so many different kinds of candles, from pillar candles  to scented jar candles to ear candles to votive candles to soy candles  to gel candles, and with the different types come a variety of candle holders, designed to appeal to many audiences.

No matter the type of candle, there are some ways to make them last longer, and to make them safer to burn too. Have a look at the following tips and enjoy your candles for longer.

Tapers, columns, votives, containers, pillars and novelty - chances are you have at least one of these types of candles in your home. Surveys done by candle manufacturers suggest that 7 out of 10 U.S households use candles, 96% of which are purchased by women. The basics for candles are easy, just light them! However, if you want to get the most out of your candles and not watch your money go up in smoke (literally), here are seven tips to follow. 

 1. KEEP THE WICK TRIMMED

 One of the best things that you can do for your candles is to keep the wick trimmed to ¼ of an inch. Wicks that are allowed to get larger than ¼ of an inch tend to burn faster and smoke. If you are noticing black soot accumulating on your container candles, the wick is too long. Nail clippers are a great tool for trimming wicks that can’t be reached with scissors.

 2. AVOID DRAFTS

 Burning candles in drafty areas can cause uneven burning and excessive smoking. Not to mention that your candle will burn faster. If you notice the flame of the candle flickering in any direction other than straight up, there is a draft. Prevent drafts by keeping burning candles away from heating and air-conditioning vents and open windows.

 3. REFRIGERATE THEM

 Candles that are cold will burn slower. To cool you candle, first wrap in foil or cling wrap to prevent the wick from absorbing any moisture. Pop them in the fridge for about an hour and light! Make sure you don’t put them in the freezer instead. They will break!

 4. BURN THEM LONG ENOUGH

 Have you ever seen a three-wick candle that looked like Mickey Mouse? For pillar candles, make sure you burn them for at least one hour for every inch in diameter. Skip this step and you’ll end up burning a tunnel through your candle.

 5. EXTINGUISHING THE FLAME

 To blow out a candle, a candle snuffer works best. If you don’t have a candle snuffer readily available, you can blow out the candle by placing an index finger in front of the flame and blowing gently. This causes the air to surround the flame and minimizes splattering of hot wax from the wax pool.

 6. SAFETY FIRST

 Keep all lit candles out of the reach of children and pets. Never leave a burning candle unattended. And always burn candles in a well-ventilated room.

 7. CLEANUP

 If wax has spilled on the carpet the best way to remove it is with paper and an iron. Place a paper towel or brown grocery bag over the spill. Place a heated iron over the paper towel. The heat from the iron will cause the wax to melt and be absorbed into the paper towel. 

Copyright © 2005 Candles-Alight.com 
candle making  |  candle  |  candles