Candle Burning 101

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Candle Burning 101

We all want to get the most out of our candles and not waste any fragrance or burn time. That’s why it’s important to make sure you are practicing proper burning habits. With these 5 easy steps you’ll be able to get the most enjoyment out of your candle.

Step 1 - Give Your Wick A Trim

One of the most important steps to burning a candle is keeping your wick nice and trimmed up. Wicks need to be kept at a healthy 1/4” length and should be trimmed prior to every burn, including the first one. Long wicks can split and drop debris into the wax. This can be a hazard but it also doesn’t look very nice and we all want cute candles. Plus, a shorter wick means a better wax pool, which means a better burn.

Step 2 - Make That Pool Wide

Speaking of better wax pools, our next step asks that you do just that! When burning your candle, whether for the first time or the fifteenth time, it’s important to let the wax pool reach all the way to the edge of the container. This prevents tunneling and wax waste. A good rule of thumb for estimating the time it’ll take for your candle to fully pool is to measure how many inches across the wax is and multiply that by two. Core jars typically need to burn for 4-6 hours at a time, while the specialty containers of our Sweet Grace collection vary in burn time. If this time doesn’t fit into your busy day or lifestyle try some of our flameless products such as reed diffusers and room sprays to get great fragrance without the wait time.

Step 3 - Keep Things Even

Keep your burning candle on an even, heat resistant, and sturdy surface. A kitchen counter or nightstand are great options. Never burn your candle near anything that can catch fire, and keep them out of reach of kids and pets. Also, candles get pretty lonely so don’t leave them unattended.

Bridgewater Jar Candle

Step 4 - Know When To Stop

As with most things, knowing when to stop burning your candle is important. This keeps you, and your furniture, safe. When there is approximately 1/2” of wax left in the bottom of your candle it’s time to stop burning. It’s okay for there to be some wax left over, candles are created with this little buffer of wax. When candles are burned below this level the containers can get hot and burn you or the surface your candle is sitting on.

Step 5 - Give Your Container New Life

After you’ve burned your candle down (to 1/2”, right?) what can you do with the container? You could recycle the glass ones but what about specialty containers? Become a container hoarder? Build a fort out of empty candle containers and declare yourself candle queen? How about repurposing those bad boys into planters, pen holders, and drinking glasses. The world is your repurposing oyster! 

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