Believe it or not, there's a right way to burn a candle, and more often than not, people have no idea what it is. Typically, you get a new candle, set the lid down, and with the flick of a lighter, your soy candle is spreading a memorizing aroma around the room! It seems like a no-brainer and pretty foolproof. In reality, to get the best burn and the most mileage out of your natural soy candle, there's some candle etiquette that needs to be followed. Surprised? I think most of us don't imagine a set of rules for maintaining a candle, so you're not alone!
Almost everyone who enjoys candles has experienced the moment you light a new candle only to return and see its tunneling. At that very moment, you watch the candle burn in disbelief and can only imagine you've purchased a faulty one. Unfortunately, the fault lies with the user. Let's make wasted candles and wrong burning techniques a thing of the past. I’m sure you’re just as surprised as I was to learn the key to a clean-burning, long lasting candle lies in how you care for it. Candles need caring for you think to yourself? Below I provided the steps to keep the flame alive!
TIPS FOR THE PROPER BURN:
- Trim your wicks
Before lighting your Meredith Bay Soy Candle, trim the wick to ¼ inch and do this every time you light your candle. Don’t forget, this is critical! If you see any smoke at all, put the candle out, trim, and re-light. The trimming that’s done before each burn can help limit the amount of smoke that’s possible. You know those smoke stains on the sides of the candle? That's from not trimming your wick! Sure, scissors work, but if you invest in a candle wick trimmer, you'll feel like such a pro! A Wickman Original Wick Trimmer is the perfect addition to your new and improved candle etiquette life and just seems so appropriate.
- The first burn
The first burn is an important one. Burn your candle for about 2-3 hours so that there's an even layer of hot wax covering the surface. If you don't allow the candle to build up an even layer, you're opening the gates to uneven surfaces and tunnels that will shorten your candle's lifespan. No, thank you! We're in it for the long haul! When I love my burning natural soy candle scent, I want the aroma to linger in the room for as long as possible.
- Time to extinguish
Another shocker is that many of us are putting our candles out the wrong way. Blowing the candle out causes the wax to become uneven and can ruin the wick. To extinguish the candle, bend the wick into the melted wax, remove it and then straighten it back up. Your partner for this task should be a wick dipper like the Wickman Wick Dipper that snuffs candles and coats and seals the wick, preventing smoking and smoldering. The candle extinguishers are great for scented candles and stop that smoke from going in the air.
This is a foolproof guide to caring for a candle the right way for a perfect, longer-lasting burn. I bet you’re a pro now! Quickly summarized: Don’t forget to trim the wick every. Single. Time. And remember, the first burn is the most important. Follow the steps and never waste another candle. Enjoy and care for your favorite candles the right way and watch your must-have scents stick around for a lot longer.
