Brooke Martin
Candles are a great way to create a relaxing atmosphere, but they can be tricky to care for. From choosing the right storage location to knowing how to properly extinguish the flame, there are many ways to make your candles last longer and preserve their scent. For example, did you know that blowing out a candle can cause unevenness in the wax and make it harder to relight? Or that putting a lid on a burning candle can trap smoke and soot, affecting the scent and appearance of the candle? To avoid these issues, it's recommended to use a wick dipper or a candle snuffer to extinguish the flame. Additionally, storing candles in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources can help prevent scent degradation and prolong their lifespan. With proper care, you can ensure that your candles provide a pleasant and lasting experience.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How to store candles | Keep them away from heat, humidity, and direct light. |
| Store in a cool, even temperature (below 80 °F). | |
| Avoid direct sunlight as it causes oxidation and degradation of dyes and fragrance oils. | |
| Store in a dark location. | |
| Keep covered when not in use. | |
| Avoid areas with water, moisture, humidity, and condensation. | |
| Avoid areas prone to leakage. | |
| How to put out a candle | Avoid blowing out the candle as it can cause tunneling and unevenness. |
| Avoid using the lid to put out the candle as it can trap smoke and soot within the jar. | |
| Use a wick dipper to quickly press the wick down into the oil, eliminating oxygen and extinguishing the flame. | |
| Use a candle snuffer to quickly extinguish the flame and minimize smoke. | |
| How to fix a broken wick | If the wick is buried under wax, melt the wax using a heating gun or a lighter and then light the wick as normal. |
| If the wick is broken, use twine or rolled-up newspaper as a makeshift alternative. | |
| Thread a new store-bought wick through the hole where the wick broke off. |
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What You'll Learn
How to properly extinguish a candle
There are several ways to extinguish a candle, but some are better than others. Blowing out a candle may be the most well-known method, but it can cause issues such as wax being blown everywhere, unevenness, and tunneling. It also causes the wick to emit a lot of smoke, which can leave an unpleasant after-scent and soot on your wick. This can reduce the effect of the candle's fragrance.
Using the lid to extinguish a candle is another popular method, but it also has its drawbacks. While it does produce less smoke than blowing out a candle, it traps the smoke and soot within the jar, which can leave a black, sooty residue on the underside of the lid and on the insides of the container. The trapped soot can also settle into the wax, affecting the appearance and scent of the candle. Additionally, not all candle lids are meant to be used this way, as some are purely decorative or contain rubber seals that can melt or deform when exposed to heat.
Two recommended ways to extinguish a candle are using a wick dipper or a candle snuffer. A wick dipper typically has a long handle with a hook on one end. To extinguish the candle, use the wick dipper to quickly dip the wick into the melted wax and then lift it back out. This method is quick, simple, and effective, producing very little smoke. Candle snuffers, also known as douters, have been used since the mid-17th century. They work well with most candles, quickly extinguishing the flame and minimizing smoke. Modern candle snuffers are fashionably designed, inexpensive, and safe to use. To use a candle snuffer, hold it over the candle and lower it until it fully envelopes the flame. Hold it there for a moment until the flame goes out, then remove the snuffer.
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How to store candles to avoid scent degradation
Scented candles are a great way to bring joy, calm, or energy to a space. However, if you don't store them properly, their fragrance can diminish over time. Here are some tips to help you store your candles correctly and avoid scent degradation:
Avoid Heat Sources
Fragrance oils and waxes are highly sensitive to heat. Even when a candle is not lit, it loses fragrance molecules when exposed to heat. Keep your candles away from heat sources such as radiators, ovens, appliances, and direct sunlight. The optimal temperature for storing candles is below 27 degrees Celsius or 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is higher, it may cause the wax to soften or melt, leading to a loss of scent strength.
Stay Dry
Candles should be kept as dry as possible. Avoid areas with water, moisture, humidity, and condensation. Bathrooms and kitchens typically have higher humidity levels, so it's best to avoid storing candles in those rooms. Also, do not store them in areas prone to leakage, such as under a sink.
Keep Out of Direct Light
Direct sunlight can cause oxidation and degradation of fragrance oils in the wax, causing the scent to fade faster. The same is true for other harsh light sources like desk lamps and spotlights. Store your candles in a dark location, and if they don't have lids, consider investing in a bell cloche to display them while keeping the fragrance from escaping.
Store Upright and Separately
Store your candles upright to keep the wax from shifting or becoming damaged. Additionally, if you have multiple scented candles, store them separately so that their scents don't mix.
By following these simple tips, you can help preserve the scent and quality of your candles, ensuring they bring you many hours of enjoyment.
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How to fix a broken candle wick
A broken candle wick can be frustrating, but there are several ways to fix it and ensure your candle is as good as new. Here are the steps you can take to repair a broken candle wick:
Check if the wick is truly broken
First, determine if the wick is genuinely broken or simply buried under a layer of wax. If it's the latter, you can carefully melt the wax around the wick to expose it. Use a hairdryer on a low setting or a wand-style candle lighter to gently warm and soften the wax without completely melting it. Then, use tweezers to carefully pull the wick upwards and free it from the wax.
Expose the wick
If the wick is indeed broken, you will need to expose it. Use an apple corer to push through the wax to the bottom of the candle, then gently wiggle and twist it to loosen the wax plug. Pull out the apple corer, bringing the wax plug and wick with it.
Create a new wick
You can fashion a new wick using common household items. Try using twine or a tightly rolled strip of newspaper. You can also use matches. Break off the match head and stab the match into the wax next to the old wick.
Secure the new wick
Thread your new homemade wick through the hole left by the wax plug. If using a match, ensure it is secured in the wax alongside the old wick.
Trim the wick
Once you've replaced the wick, trim it to the right length—approximately 1/4 inch—to ensure it burns evenly and to prevent it from becoming buried in wax again.
Prevent future issues
To prevent the wick from breaking or becoming buried in wax again, prop it up with a clothespin after lighting it. This will help keep the wick centred and burning evenly. Additionally, always trim the wick before lighting your candle to prevent leftover ash from falling into the wax.
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How to avoid wax unevenness
Wax unevenness, also known as candle tunneling, is a common issue with candles. It occurs when a candle burns down the middle, leaving unmelted wax around the sides. This happens when the candle hasn't burned long enough on its first use, or if the wick is too small for the container.
To avoid wax unevenness, it is recommended to burn a new candle for long enough to let the entire surface melt before blowing it out. The longer the candle burns, the bigger the opening for future use. For larger candles, this means burning them for several hours the first time they are lit.
Another way to prevent wax unevenness is to ensure that the wick is the correct size for the candle. A larger wick will generate more heat, helping to melt the wax to the edges of the candle.
If you are making your own candles, there are several steps you can take to avoid wax unevenness. Firstly, fragrance oil overload can cause oil to leak out of your finished candle, so be sure not to exceed the maximum fragrance oil load. Additionally, pour the wax slowly into the container to avoid creating air bubbles, and gently tap the jar after pouring to help release any air bubbles that do form. Leave space between jars to ensure the candles set evenly, and put them on a wire rack instead of a solid surface, as this can cause the candle to set unevenly. You can also try using a softer wax, or blending one into your harder wax, to make it less likely to contract and pull away from the glass. Finally, stir the wax slowly as it cools to keep the temperature uniform, and heat your containers in the oven before pouring to avoid cold jars causing the candles to set unevenly.
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How to avoid excess soot and smoke
To avoid excess soot and smoke, it is important to understand why candles produce soot in the first place. Soot is caused by incomplete combustion, which occurs when there isn't enough oxygen to fully burn the candle wax. When the flame of the candle is disturbed, the size of the flame changes and the amount of fuel being used becomes inconsistent. If there is too much fuel for the flame to use, the excess is expelled as soot.
- Keep candles away from drafts, vents, fans, and open windows. A still flame will use a consistent amount of fuel, whereas a flickering flame will draw fuel up the wick at an inconsistent rate, sometimes resulting in excess fuel that turns into soot.
- Trim the wick to about a quarter of an inch before lighting the candle. A longer wick can cause the flame to burn too hot, leading to excess smoke and soot.
- Use a candle snuffer to extinguish the candle. Blowing out the candle can produce smoke and disturb the wax, leading to soot formation.
- Choose high-quality candles without added colorants or fragrances. Additives can affect the combustion process, resulting in incomplete combustion and soot formation.
- Burn the candle for an appropriate duration. A general rule of thumb is to burn the candle for one hour for every inch of its diameter. This ensures even wax melting and avoids excessive soot buildup.
- Use the right size wick. A wick that is too small may not create a sufficient flame, resulting in incomplete wax melting and the formation of excess soot.
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Frequently asked questions
To make your candle last longer, it's important to store it properly. Keep it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, heat, and humidity. The ideal temperature is below 80 °F. You can even store it in the fridge, but avoid the freezer as this may damage the wick and cause the wax to crack.
Blowing out a candle is not recommended as it can cause unevenness in the wax, make it harder to relight, and fill the room with smoke and soot. Using the lid to extinguish the flame is also not ideal as it can trap smoke and soot, affecting the scent and appearance of the candle. Instead, use a wick dipper or a candle snuffer to quickly extinguish the flame without producing smoke or soot.
If your candle wick breaks, you can use some DIY methods to fix it. First, check if the wick is buried under wax. If so, use a heating gun or a lighter to melt the wax and expose the wick. If the wick is broken, use an apple corer to push the old wick to the bottom of the candle and remove it. Then, thread a new store-bought wick through the hole or use twine or tightly rolled-up newspaper as a makeshift alternative.
