Chloe Adams
There are few things more frustrating than a candle that won't stay lit. This is often due to a phenomenon called candle tunnelling, where the wax surrounding the wick melts unevenly, creating a vertical tunnel in the centre of the candle. This causes the wick to descend deeper into the wax, making it harder for the flame to get enough oxygen to stay lit. Luckily, there are several solutions to this problem, including trimming the wick, using a candle warmer, or burning the candle for longer periods to allow the wax to melt evenly.
Characteristics and Values Table
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Long wick | Trim the wick to 1/4" or 6mm above the wax surface |
| Short wick | Melt wax around the wick, then dab away excess wax |
| Tunneling | Burn the candle until the wax melts to the edges to reset the wax's memory |
| Defective wicks | Exchange the candle |
| Charred wick | Trim the wick and remove charred material |
| Flame drowning in wax | Remove excess wax with a paper napkin, then relight |
| Wick too small | Use a candle with a larger wick |
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What You'll Learn
Ensure the wick isn't too long or too short
If your candle wick won't stay lit or the flame is getting very low, it's most likely because the wick is too long or too short. While it might seem counterintuitive to trim the candle wick to make it burn better, remember it's the wax that fuels the flame, not the wick itself. The flame draws the wax upwards through the wick, so if the candle wick is not trimmed short and clean, the wax can't reach the flame, causing the flame to diminish.
The ideal length for a candle wick is about 1/4" or 6mm above the surface of the wax. If your candle wick is too short to light, you need to give the wick more space from the wax. To do this, melt the wax around the wick with a match or a lighter, then dab the excess wax with a paper towel or drain it. Repeat if necessary. This often happens when your candle has tunnelled and the wick has burned below the surface of most of the wax. The wax melts down into the wick faster than the wick can burn it, causing the flame to go out.
To prevent tunnelling, burn your candle long enough each time so that the entire top surface of wax melts. This is especially important the first time you burn your candle. As a rule of thumb, burn your candle for one hour per inch of its diameter. So, if your candle has a diameter of 3 inches, let it burn for 3 hours before putting it out.
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Trim the wick to prevent charring
If your candle wick won't stay lit, it's most likely because the wick is too long or needs to be trimmed clean of charred material. While it might seem counterintuitive to trim the wick to get the candle to burn better, it's the wax that fuels the flame, not the wick itself. The flame draws the wax upwards through the wick, so if the candle wick is not trimmed short and clean, the wax can't reach the flame, causing the flame to diminish.
To prevent wick charring, make sure you burn your candle long enough each time so that the entire top surface of the wax melts. This is especially important the first time you burn your candle. As a rule of thumb, burn your candle for one hour per inch of its diameter. So, if your candle has a diameter of three inches, let it burn for three hours before putting it out. This will prevent the wax from creating a tunnel and burning downwards instead of outwards, prolonging the life of your candle.
If your candle has already tunnelled, you can fix this by using a paper napkin to remove excess wax pooling around the wick. Then, wait a minute and relight your candle. Usually, this trick works, but if the candle tunnelling is severe, repeat the process until your candle wick has enough room to stay lit. Then, let it burn until the entire surface of the candle has melted to reset the wax's memory.
To speed up the melting process, you can use a heat gun or hair dryer on low speed and high heat settings to gently heat the top surface of the candle. Be careful not to blow the hair dryer directly over the candle, and hold it at an appropriate distance to avoid blowing melted wax.
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Melt wax around the wick to prevent tunnelling
If your candle won't stay lit, it could be due to tunnelling. Tunnelling occurs when only a small portion of the wax surrounding the wick melts while the candle is lit, causing the flame to carve out a vertical tunnel in the centre of the candle. As the wick descends deeper into the wax, it can't get enough oxygen to stay lit.
To prevent tunnelling, it's important to ensure that the entire top surface of the candle melts during the first burn. This is because the wax in the centre becomes softer and will continue to melt during subsequent burns, while the surrounding wax remains hard and won't melt. The amount of time this takes depends on the size of the candle—a good rule of thumb is to burn your candle for one hour per inch of its diameter. For example, if your candle has a diameter of 3 inches, you should let it burn for 3 hours.
If your candle has already tunnelled, you can try melting the wax around the wick with matches or a lighter, then dabbing or draining the excess wax with a paper towel. You can also use a heat gun or hair dryer on a low speed and high heat setting to gently heat the top surface of the candle. Be careful not to hold the hair dryer too close to the candle to avoid blowing melted wax.
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Burn the candle long enough to melt wax to the edges
If your candle won't stay lit, it could be due to tunneling. Tunneling occurs when only a small portion of the wax surrounding the wick melts while the candle is lit, causing the flame to carve out a vertical tunnel in the centre of the candle. As a result, the wick descends deeper into the surrounding wax, and the flame can't get enough oxygen to stay lit.
To prevent tunneling, burn your candle long enough for the wax to melt to the edges of the vessel, especially during the first burn. This will reset the memory of the wax and prevent future tunneling. The time it takes for the wax to melt to the edges depends on the size of the candle. A good rule of thumb is to burn your candle for one hour per inch of its diameter. For example, if your candle has a diameter of 3 inches, let it burn for about 3 hours. During this time, the flame may get smaller as the wick starts to drown, but it should get better with each burn.
If you're unable to burn your candle for a long enough period, you can use a hairdryer or heat gun to gently heat the top surface of the candle. Hold the hairdryer at a distance and gradually move it closer, being careful not to blow melted wax. You can also carefully scrape at the unmelted wax on the sides with a wick dipper or small metal spatula to help it melt faster.
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Use a candle warmer for candles that won't stay lit
If your candle won't stay lit, a candle warmer is a great alternative to lighting it with a flame. Candle warmers bring out the fragrance of a candle without lighting the wick. They do this by heating the wax and dispersing the fragrance without the risk of leaving a lit candle unattended.
There are two types of candle warmers: top-down and bottom-up. Top-down candle warmers resemble small lamps and heat the candle from above, usually with a lightbulb. Bottom-up candle warmers, on the other hand, look like coasters and heat the candle from below, acting as mini hot plates. When using a bottom-up candle warmer, start with a smaller candle so that the wax can melt completely. Top-down warmers, on the other hand, will not melt the wax all the way through but will slowly melt the wax pool from the top.
If you're looking to get the most out of your candle warmer, here's a tip: when the top layer of melted wax is no longer releasing enough scent, use cotton balls to absorb and remove it. This method is much less messy than pouring it out. You can also place your candle in the freezer for a while, allowing the wax to pop out of the jar easily. Then, cut the candle into pieces for your wax warmer, which is often cheaper than buying pre-made wax melts.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several reasons why your candle might not be staying lit. Firstly, the wick might be too long, too short, or it needs to be trimmed clean of charred material. Another reason could be that the candle is tunnelling, which happens when only a small portion of the wax surrounding the wick melts while the candle is lit, causing the wick to descend deeper into the wax and eventually go out.
Keep your wicks about 1/4" or 6mm above the surface of the wax.
To fix tunnelling, use a paper napkin to remove excess wax pooling around the wick. Wait for a minute and then relight the candle. If this doesn't work, try heating the top surface of the candle with a hair dryer and gently scrape away at the unmelted wax on the sides. Continue heating until the entire top surface of wax has completely melted and then relight your candle.
