Jessie Taylor
Candles can be used to create a warm and inviting atmosphere, but they can also be surprisingly short-lived. There are several ways to make a candle last longer, including trimming the wick, placing it in the fridge or freezer, and sprinkling salt into the wax. When trimming the wick, it is important to ensure it is no longer than 10mm or 1/4 inch to prevent the flame from becoming too large and burning the wax too quickly. Placing candles in a cool place, such as a fridge or freezer, hardens the wax, which takes longer to melt. Mixing salt into the wax can also slow down the melting rate. Other methods include burning the candle for at least an hour to ensure an even melt, using a candle snuffer to extinguish the flame, and storing the candle in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and drafts.
How to make a candle last longer:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Store candles | In a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight, harsh lights, high humidity, moisture, and drafts |
| Burn time | Depends on size, wax type, number of wicks, air movement, oxygen availability, temperature, and wick material |
| Wax type | Soy and beeswax have longer burn times than paraffin wax |
| First burn | Burn for at least 1 hour or until the top layer of wax fully melts to prevent tunnelling |
| Subsequent burns | Burn for no more than 3-4 hours at a time |
| Wick | Trim to 0.25 inches (0.64 cm or 10 mm) before lighting to prevent large flames and fast burning |
| Wick maintenance | Re-center the wick if it moves, and clean the wax pool of debris after each use |
| Extinguishing | Use a candle snuffer or spoon to avoid hot wax splattering |
| Freezing | Place in the freezer for 1-8 hours to harden the wax and slow melting |
| Salt | Mix table salt into the wax to slow down the melting rate |
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What You'll Learn
Store candles away from direct sunlight and harsh lights
Candles are a great way to create a cosy atmosphere, but they can be surprisingly short-lived. To make your candles last longer, it's important to store them correctly and ensure they are burning efficiently. One crucial aspect of candle care is to keep them away from direct sunlight and harsh lights.
Sunlight and harsh artificial lights can cause the colour of the candle to fade and the wax to soften or even melt. This can lead to disfiguration and an increased rate of evaporation of the fragrance oils, resulting in a weaker scent. Therefore, it is recommended to store candles in a cool, dark place. A cupboard or drawer is ideal, as long as it is not too humid or moist. Avoid storing candles in direct sunlight, near windows, or under spotlights.
In addition to this, there are several other steps you can take to extend the life of your candles. Firstly, always trim the wick to around 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) before lighting. This will prevent the flame from becoming too large and sooty, which can cause the candle to burn through the wax too quickly. It is also important to keep the candle free of debris and dust, which can accumulate on the surface. Use a wet cotton pad with warm soapy water to gently clean the wax, and enclose the candle with a lid if possible.
Another tip is to allow the top layer of wax to fully melt across when you first light your candle, creating an even melt pool. This usually takes a couple of hours but helps to prevent tunnelling, where the candle burns down the centre but leaves wax around the edges. By taking these steps, you can help your candles last longer and get more value for money.
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Keep candles covered to preserve their fragrance
Keeping candles covered is an effective way to preserve their fragrance. When candles are left uncovered, they lose fragrance molecules to their surrounding environment, even when they are not lit. Therefore, it is important to keep them covered when not in use.
If your candle comes with a lid, keep it covered when not in use. This helps prevent air exposure, which can weaken the fragrance over time. For candles without lids, consider storing them in an airtight container to protect the scent.
It is also important to store your candles in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Heat and light can cause the wax to soften or melt, and this will affect the scent strength. UV rays can also degrade the fragrance oils and cause the candle colour to fade.
Additionally, make sure to trim the wick to about 1/4 inch before each use. This helps control the flame size, reduce soot, and ensure an even burn. This not only preserves the candle's scent but also prevents wax tunnelling, which can waste candle wax.
By following these simple steps, you can effectively preserve the fragrance of your candles and ensure they last longer.
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Choose the right wax type for a longer burn time
When choosing a candle, it's important to select the right type of wax to ensure a longer burn time. The type of wax you choose will depend on your budget, how strong you want the fragrance to be, and how eco-friendly you want your candle to be. Here are some of the most common types of candle wax and how they affect burn time:
Paraffin wax is the most common and least expensive type of candle wax. However, it is less eco-friendly and burns faster than some other options. If you're looking for a more sustainable option, paraffin wax may not be the best choice.
Soy wax is a solid middle-ground option, offering a slow and steady burn. It is more eco-friendly than paraffin wax, but there are some concerns about the soybean industry's impact on deforestation, fertilizers, and pesticides. Soy wax also has a lower melting point, which means it takes less heat to melt, resulting in a slower burn. However, it may not be suitable if you prefer a strongly scented candle as it doesn't hold fragrance as well as other waxes.
Beeswax is a natural and hardy wax with a high melting point, making it ideal for crafting freestanding pillar candles. It has a longer burn time due to its higher melting point, but it is more expensive and difficult to work with. Beeswax also has a subtle honey scent, which may not be preferred by everyone.
Coconut wax is a newer and increasingly popular option. It is sustainable, harvested from coconuts, and burns cleanly with minimal soot. Coconut wax also excels at holding both fragrance and colour, justifying its higher price point. While it may be a newer option, it is a strong contender for a longer-burning candle.
Ultimately, the type of wax you choose will depend on your specific needs and preferences. Factors such as burn time, eco-friendliness, scent, and cost will play a role in your decision. By considering these factors, you can choose the right wax type to ensure your candle lasts longer.
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Trim candle wicks to ensure a longer burn time
Trimming candle wicks is a surefire way to ensure a longer burn time. Long candle wicks tend to speed up the burn process, so it's best to keep them short. A healthy flame height is typically 1/2-inch to 1 inch. When the wick is not trimmed, it can lead to a flame that is too tall, which can increase the risk of a fire.
To trim your candle wicks, use a wick trimmer, scissors, or nail clippers to cut the wick down to a length of 1/4-inch before lighting each time. If you don't have any of these tools, you can use a pair of sharp scissors and trim vertically. Avoid cutting the wick at an angle, as this will result in a less clean burn. While keeping the wick at 1/4 inch is generally recommended, the ideal length may vary depending on the type of candle, as some candles are made with different kinds of wicks and wax. For example, Spoken Flames, a candle company, recommends keeping the wick of their wooden wick candles trimmed to 1/2-inch.
In addition to prolonging the life of your candle, trimming the wick will also help to ensure a consistent scent throw and a cleaner burn. If you don't trim your wick, you may experience tunneling, which happens when the wick is too long, causing the flame to get too hot and resulting in excess wax burning. Trimming the wick will also help to prevent the build-up of carbon on the wick, which can lead to the formation of a "mushroom" shape that produces an unstable and dangerously large flame.
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Avoid placing candles in drafty areas to prevent uneven burning
The placement of a candle is crucial to ensuring it burns evenly and lasts longer. Drafty areas can cause uneven burning, so it is best to avoid placing candles in these spots.
Candles exposed to drafts will burn faster on one side than the other, resulting in an uneven melt and wastage. The movement of air in the environment affects the oxygen supply to the flame, causing it to burn unevenly. This can also lead to the wick moving out of place, which will further contribute to uneven burning.
To avoid this issue, it is recommended to keep candles away from areas with strong air currents, such as open windows or drafty rooms. If you are unsure whether an area is drafty, observe the candle flame. If it flickers or leans to one side, it is affected by air currents, and you should move the candle to a calmer location.
Additionally, choosing the right type of wax can help prevent uneven burning. Soy wax and beeswax candles offer longer burn times than paraffin wax. Soy wax, in particular, can last up to three times longer than paraffin wax, making it a more sustainable and cost-effective option.
By following these simple steps of avoiding drafty areas and choosing the right wax, you can ensure your candles burn evenly and last longer, creating a cozy and well-lit atmosphere in your space.
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Frequently asked questions
To make a candle last longer, ensure that the candle is burning correctly. This means that the wick should be trimmed to 1/4 inch before lighting, and that the flame should be kept small and steady. You can also place the candle in the fridge or freezer to harden the wax so it burns more slowly.
To prevent tunnelling, burn your candle for at least one hour the first time you light it, and for at least three to four hours each time after that. This will ensure an even melt across the wax.
Store your candle in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight and other sources of light. Keep it away from areas of high humidity, moisture, or sudden temperature changes.
