Candle Care - How to get the most out of your candles!

I still remember when I discovered that candles should be burned for 3 hours or so the first time, to prevent tunneling of the wax.  I'd never known why some of my candles tunneled, and I ended up wasting so much wax!  At the time I felt silly, but most people don't know good candle care tricks - so this post contains some of the top tips from all my years of mistakes.

Before you burn your candle

• When you first unbox your candle and light it for the first time, make sure you are going to be home and able to let it burn for 3 hours or so.  This will achieve the ideal 'melt pool' to enable the whole candle to burn through its lifetime. 
  
  For best results, your first burn should allow for the candle to melt almost (but not entirely) to the edge of the vessel. This will help prevent the dreaded effect of ‘tunneling’ where your candle wax burns down the center, leaving large amounts of wax around the edges. *  By the second, third or subsequent burn you should find the wax melts to a more level surface as the wax depletes.
  
  
• Another really important tip is to always trim the wick to 1/4" before each burn.  This does a few things.  First, most importantly, it helps to ensure that the flame does not get too big and too hot and therefore dangerous.   It also helps to minimize any excess smoke from the wick which can cause sooting and black edges on your container.  
  
  But, when trimming the wick be careful to not trim it too short, as then the melting wax may 'drown' the tiny wick - very frustrating!  (If this happens, I sometimes wait until the wax is cooled again and dig a little moat around the wick to expose some fresh wick - as long as you don't dig too deep, this can sometimes work to allow the flame to get to a proper size and recover your candle.

Extinguishing your Candles

• We've all experienced the smoky aftermath of blowing out a candle.  This can be minimized by using a candle snuffer to cover the flame and then leaving it in place for a couple of seconds until the flame is fully extinguished.  Then, pop the lid on your jar right away. This will keep smoke to a minimum and can also help to ensure the flame is fully extinguished. 

Caring for your Candle

• A little care goes a long way in keeping your candle looking great and smelling wonderful. To help preserve its scent and appearance, store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight,
  
  
• We include a lid with every jar to help keep your candle fresh between burns.  Making sure the lid is placed on the jar after each burn will keep dust out and help preserve the scent.  That way, when you’re ready to light it again, it’s just as enjoyable as the first time.
  
  

At the end....

• Your candle is finished when there is about 1/2" of wax remaining.  To remove the wax and re-use the container, you can sometimes pop the jar in the freezer overnight.  The cold should cause the wax to shrink, and sometimes you can just pop it right out.  Another method is to put the jar into very hot water or a warm oven (on a low temperature) which will soften the wax enough to wipe it out. 
  
  
• Never wash your wax down a sink or drain, as it will solidify when melted and can cause blockages. Instead, wipe out the remaining film of wax with a paper towel and a little bit of rubbing alcohol. 

*The character of Coconut and Olive oil waxes means they sometimes will not melt entirely to the edges on the first or second burn - and that’s ok, it will catch up later.