Tyler Brooks
Candles are a great way to create a relaxing atmosphere, but there are many ways to ruin them. From the very first burn, candles can be prone to tunnelling, where the wax melts unevenly, affecting the candle's burn time, scent, and aesthetic appeal. Tunnelling can be caused by an improperly sized wick, cheap wax, or drafty conditions. To prevent tunnelling, it's important to ensure the initial layer of wax melts to the edge of the candle container. This can be achieved by using a candle warmer, which melts the wax uniformly, or a wick dipper, which extinguishes the flame and coats the wick with wax, promoting a more even burn. Aside from tunnelling, candles can be ruined by exposure to open flames, which can cause wax to splatter, and by being left out in the open, leading to fading and discolouration. To keep candles in good condition, it's best to store them in a cool, dry, and dark place when not in use.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Not letting the wax melt to the edge of the candle container | Causes candle tunneling |
| Improper wick size | Causes tunneling |
| Drafty conditions | Cause uneven burning |
| Cheap candles with poor wax composition | Causes uneven melting |
| Burning a candle for too long | Wick becomes unstable and produces a dangerously large flame |
| Failing to trim the wick | Wick becomes mushroom-shaped, causing the candle to smoke more |
| Leaving a lit candle in moving air | Candle burns unevenly and becomes lopsided |
| Storing candles in the open | Leads to fading and discolouration |
| Putting out a candle with a lid | Traps smoke and soot inside the jar, leaving residue on the lid and inside the container |
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What You'll Learn
Don't trim the wick
Not trimming your candle wick can cause a host of issues, from ruining the scent of your candle to creating a fire hazard. Here are some reasons why you should avoid letting your candle wick get too long:
Untrimmed wicks can lead to uneven burning and wax pooling
If you don't trim your candle wick, you run the risk of what's called "tunneling." This happens when the wick is too long, causing the flame to get too hot and resulting in excess wax burning around the outside of the candle. This can lead to an uneven wax pool, with too much wax melting in some areas and not enough in others. This can cause the candle to burn down too quickly or too slowly and can even cause the candle to burn out before all the wax has been used, resulting in wasted candle wax.
Untrimmed wicks can cause excessive sooting and smoking
When a candle wick is too long, it can create larger flames that produce excess amounts of smoke and soot. This can leave black smoke stains on your candle vessel and even on nearby walls or items in your home. The increased heat from the larger flame can also cause the candle to burn through wax faster, reducing the lifespan of your candle.
Untrimmed wicks can affect fragrance and scent throw
Letting the wicks get too long can negatively impact the fragrance and scent throw of your candle. A longer wick means more fuel is burned at once, creating a larger flame that can alter the scent of the candle. The increased heat can also cause the fragrance to be dispersed too quickly, reducing the strength of the scent throw.
Untrimmed wicks can be a safety hazard
A candle wick that is too long can lead to a flame that is too tall, increasing the risk of a fire. The larger flame can also create excessive sooting and smoking, which can be an eyesore and potentially leave an unpleasant smell in your home.
In summary, not trimming your candle wick can lead to a variety of issues, including uneven burning, wax pooling, excessive sooting and smoking, altered fragrance, and even safety hazards. Trimming your wick ensures a clean, even burn and helps prolong the life of your candle.
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Leave it in a draft
One of the most common ways to ruin a candle is by burning it incorrectly. When lighting a candle for the first time, it is important to let it burn until a layer of melted wax covers its entire surface. If you don't do this, the wax will create a 'memory ring', and your candle will only burn until it reaches that ring, causing the centre to sink and leading to candle tunnelling.
Candle tunnelling can also be caused by an improperly sized wick that doesn't produce enough heat, cheap candles with poor wax composition that doesn't melt evenly, and drafty conditions that cause uneven burning. To fix candle tunnelling, use a butter knife or spoon to gently scrape away the unburned wax around the edges, creating an even surface. Then, let the wax cool and solidify before trimming the wick to about a quarter of an inch to promote an even and clean burn.
Leaving a lit candle in a draft will cause it to burn unevenly and become lopsided, affecting its performance, burn time, and overall lifespan. Before lighting a candle, it is important to consider your environment and whether there are any open windows, air conditioners, or doors nearby that could create a draft.
To prevent your candles from being ruined by fading and discolouration, be sure to store them in a cool, dry, and dark place, such as a cupboard or drawer. Additionally, storing candles in a container with a lid will help keep them free of dust and other debris.
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Don't store it properly
Storing candles in a cool, dry, and dark place is critical to maintaining their colour, fragrance, and longevity. If you don't store your candles properly, you risk ruining them.
Firstly, avoid storing candles in areas that receive direct sunlight or bright indoor light, such as near a window or under a spotlight. This causes oxidation and degradation of the dyes and fragrance oils in the wax, resulting in a faded scent and discoloured wax.
Secondly, keep candles away from heat sources such as radiators, space heaters, kitchen appliances, and other direct sources of heat. Heat causes the scent molecules in the wax to evaporate more quickly, leading to scent degradation. It can also cause the candles to melt or warp, affecting their appearance and how they burn.
Additionally, it is best to store candles in a dry place, avoiding areas with water, moisture, humidity, and condensation, such as bathrooms and kitchens. While a little "sweating" on the candle's surface is normal, prolonged exposure to moisture can affect the candle's quality over time.
Proper candle storage also includes keeping them covered to protect them from dust and other airborne particles. You can use the candle's glass lid or purchase a dust cover or elegant bell cloche to display your candles while keeping them dust-free and preserving their fragrance.
Finally, ensure that you store your candles in a safe place, away from flammable items and where the temperature does not fluctuate. This will help prevent premature melting and preserve your favourite scents.
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Don't let it pool wax
Allowing a candle to pool wax to the edges is important for maximising its lifespan and fragrance throw. However, if you want to ruin your candle, you can do the opposite and prevent the wax from pooling. Here's how:
Firstly, understand that candles have a "'memory'" and tend to follow the path set by their first burn. Therefore, if you don't let the wax melt all the way to the edges on the first burn, it will likely continue tunnelling, burning down the middle and leaving hard wax along the sides. This will result in an inefficient candle with a reduced fragrance throw. To achieve this tunnelling effect and ruin your candle, simply extinguish the candle before the wax reaches the edges during its first burn.
Another way to prevent wax pooling is by choosing the wrong wick size. The wick is crucial to achieving a full melt pool. If the wick is too small, it may not produce a large enough flame to melt the wax to the edges. Conversely, if the wick is too large, it may consume too much wax and leave unmelted wax around the edges. Experiment with different wick sizes to find one that doesn't work for your candle.
Additionally, placing your candle in a drafty area can cause uneven burning. The draft can cause one side of the wick to be drowned by melted wax, preventing the wax from pooling evenly. To take advantage of this, place your candle near a fan or an open window, ensuring the draft affects the flame.
For candles with softer wax, such as single pour container waxes, pouring at too high a temperature can cause sinking across the surface. This can lead to uneven wax pooling and affect the overall performance of your candle. Pouring at the right temperature is crucial for preventing this issue.
Finally, burning your candle for too long in one session can cause excessive wax pooling, which can submerge the wick. To avoid this, limit burn sessions to 3-4 hours at most. Extinguish your candle before this time to prevent the wax from pooling too deeply.
By following these steps, you can effectively ruin a candle by preventing it from forming a full wax pool.
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Put it out with the lid
Putting Out a Candle with the Lid
While it is possible to put out a candle with its lid, it is not recommended. There are several reasons why this method of extinguishing a candle should be avoided.
Firstly, not all candle lids are meant for extinguishing. Some lids are purely decorative and may be made from flammable or heat-sensitive materials such as wood, plastic, or rubber, which can melt or deform when exposed to heat. Therefore, it is important to check that your candle lid is made from a non-flammable material before attempting to use it to extinguish the flame.
Secondly, using the lid to put out a candle can result in soot production. The lid traps smoke and soot inside the jar, leaving black, sooty residue on the underside of the lid and the inside of the container. This can affect the appearance of your candle, particularly if you prefer the look of clean, white-colored wax. The trapped soot can also settle into the wax, altering the colour and texture, and giving it an unpleasant, burnt smell.
Thirdly, the smoke trapped under the lid can gradually alter the original fragrance of your scented candle. If you extinguish your candle with the lid several times, you may notice that it starts to smell smoky. This is particularly undesirable if you are using a scented candle to create a luxurious or relaxing atmosphere.
Finally, putting out a candle with the lid can cause the lid to get stuck. If there is a lot of empty space in the container, the flame will continue to burn for some time until it uses up all the oxygen inside. As a result, a vacuum effect can occur, making it difficult to remove the lid once the flame is extinguished.
In conclusion, while it is technically possible to put out a candle with the lid, it is not advisable due to the potential risks of soot production, fragrance alteration, and lid damage. Instead, it is recommended to use alternative methods such as wick dippers or snuffers to extinguish candles safely and effectively while maintaining their appearance and scent.
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Frequently asked questions
Store candles in a cool, dry, and dark place. Leaving them out in the open can lead to fading and discolouration.
If you don't trim the wick regularly, it will morph into a 'mushroom' shape, dulling its flame and causing the candle to smoke more.
Burning a candle for too long can cause the wick to float off-centre, become unstable, and produce a dangerously large flame.
Using the lid to extinguish a candle can cause smoke and soot to be trapped inside the jar, leaving black residue on the lid and inside the container.
Blowing out a candle can cause the smell of smoke to ruin the atmosphere.
