Burn it slowly.
A candle is a small fire in your living room. A few habits make it last longer, smell better and stay safe.
Trim the wick
Before every light. It keeps the flame steady and the jar clean.
Let it pool
Burn long enough for the wax to melt edge to edge. No tunnels.
Unattended minutes
Never leave it burning. Never use water to put it out. Snuff it.
- ✦Trim the wick to ¼ inch. A long wick flares, smokes and blackens the jar.
- ✦Clear the wax of trimmings, dust and anything that can catch.
- ✦Stand the jar on a stable, heat-resistant surface, away from vents and draughts.
- ✦Burn for 2 to 4 hours at a time so the wax pools edge to edge. That is how you avoid a tunnel down the middle.
- ✦Keep children and pets away, and never leave a lit candle unattended or burn one while you sleep.
- ✦Keep it clear of books, paper, curtains and anything else that burns. Never move a jar while the wax is liquid.
- ✦Burning several at once? Leave at least three inches between them.
- ✦Use a snuffer if you have one. It stops hot wax from spitting.
- ✦Never use water: it splatters and can crack the jar.
- ✦Check the ember is out before you leave the room, and let the jar cool completely before you touch it.
The questions we get most.
The first burn was too short. Wax has a memory: let it melt all the way to the edge on the first light, which takes 2 to 4 hours in a 10 oz jar, and it will burn evenly for the rest of its life.
Around 50 hours for a 10 oz ceramic jar, around 12 for a 2 oz mini, if you trim the wick before every light.
No. Put it out, let it cool, check for a draught and trim the wick before relighting.
When about ½ inch of wax is left. Below that the jar gets too hot.
Pour in boiling water to lift the last of the wax, wash with soap, and keep it. Ceramic makes a good brush pot, planter or ring dish.
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