Tips to Extend the Life of Your Candles
- Keep a candle lit for one hour per inch of diameter. So, if you have a 3-inch diameter candle burn it at least three hours. This practice allows the heat from the flame enough time to reach the outer edges of the candle so the wax melts evenly.
We’ve all seen examples of candles that have burned down the center and never reached the edges. In those cases the candles were not burned long enough to heat all of the wax around the perimeter. Unfortunately, there’s really nothing you can do to fix them short of scraping out the wax and making a new candle by yourself!
- Trim the wick to approximately 1/4 inch before you light it. If your wick is too long the flame will be too big and could catch something else on fire. A too-large flame is also more sooty.
- Always burn votives and tea lights inside a holder, not on a plate. A votive may remind you of a pillar candle, which can burn simply standing on a plate, but the heat of the flame on such a small-sized candle melts the wax too quickly to contain on a plate. A holder with solid sides that are higher than the top of the candle is appropriate for both votives and tea lights.
Just follow these three simple rules to get the most burning time, safety, and enjoyment out of your candles.
