Nothing soothes me more than the gentle flicker of a lit candle. I could sit and watch a candle flame dance for hours. When I started making candles four years ago my goal was to simply to replace paraffin with soy for a cleaner, more natural burning candle. That ignited a passion in me that led to the start of this business! The photo you see here is of one of my test burns. Each candle requires several test burns to determine the right wick for the container, wax and fragrance! It can be a time consuming task which I enjoy immensely because I am always surrounded by burning candles! I learned quickly that along with the beauty of a burning candle comes immense danger if they are not handled properly.
Here at Just Dandy we take candle care very seriously! Many of you have heard my safety speech when visiting our boutique. I created a candle care instruction card that we include with each purchase because I believe so strongly in candle safety! With the introduction of our new spring candle line, I felt it was time to sit and talk about some simple care and safety tips to help you burn the candle you love without burning down the house!
- First off, always store your candles in a cool, dark and dry place. Tapers should be stored flat to prevent warping. Many fragrances are light sensitive and your pretty white candle may yellow when exposed to UV light. This won't alter the function of your candle but will change its appearance.
- Every candle has a memory! I love when I tell people this and I get that deer-in-the-headlights look. Yep, a memory! The first burn is critical! When you light your candle for the first time, allow it to burn until the wax melts across the entire surface to the sides of the vessel. This helps prevents tunneling and allows the candle to create an even burn for the rest of its candle life. It may take 3-4 hours to achieve a full melt pool. (possibly longer in some of my newer large vessels)
- Trim your wick! Oh gosh I cannot stress this enough! Trim your wick to 1/4 inch before EACH burn to promote an even burn, steady flame and limit sooting or mushrooming of your wick. Sooting can also appear if you allow your candle to burn longer than 3-4 hours at a time. If you don't have a wick trimmer a nail clipper will do a fine job. I trim mine upside down over the trash can before each burn. You don't want ugly black carbon trimmings in your pretty white wax.
- Keep your candle wax free of wick trimmings, matches or other debris. Major fire hazard! I have actually watched people light their candle with a match and then drop the match into the candle! Do not be one of those people. Never leave your burning candle on or near anything that could catch fire such as furniture, curtains, books, paper, bedding, or other flammable material. Always keep a burning candle within sight and definitely out of reach of kiddos or pets.
- Use a candle snuffer to extinguish your candle. If you don't have a candle snuffer try dipping your wick into the wax pool and then straighten your wick to prevent smoking. Do not extinguish your candle with water. Your wick will absorb the water and your candle will be ruined. Water can also cause the hot wax to splatter and could burn you or shatter your glass vessel!
- Avoid drafts! This includes ceiling fans, open windows and heat vents. Avoiding drafts will increase the burn time, prevent uneven burning, smoking, decreased scent throw and accidental fire. If your wick flame is unusually high or flickering repeatedly extinguish your candle, let it cool, trim your wick and try again. It may have caught a draft! They can be touchy buggers!
- To maximize scent throw, keep the candle in an enclosed area with no open windows or doors for 30 minutes before entering. Likewise, don’t burn too many candles in small room or in a "tight" home with poor ventilation.
- Never ever pick up a burning candle! You just never know how hot that container may have become. Allow your candle to cool completely before handling or moving. Make sure you extinguish your candle before leaving the house or going to sleep.
- Never burn your candle further than it is willing to go. It has reached the end of its life when approximately 1/2 inch of wax remains in the vessel. Glass can shatter from an overheated vessel! Don't worry we have plenty more candles so know when to let go please.
- Lastly, replace the lid to your candle (if it came with one) after it’s cooled to help retain the fragrance and keep dust from collecting on the top of your candle. Dust can be a fire hazard. An easy way to remove dust is to gently rub the surface of your candle with a soft cloth or nylon.
Candles can evoke so many emotions and feelings. Let's not let danger and fear be some of those feelings. I hope this list gives you greater confidence and helps you safely burn your candles in your own home! If you have a favorite Just Dandy candle let me know in the comments below! Our customer feedback is what creates our ever growing candle line! You are welcome to shop our new spring signature candles here!
Let's chat soon.....
~ Sonya
Disclaimer: I hope you have found my blog useful and helpful. I am a professional registered nurse of 23 years and my blog posts are intended for informational and educational purposes only. They should not be seen as health, nutritional or medical advice. I am not a doctor nor have I ever played one on TV. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I recommend checking with your doctor before beginning any new treatment as I am unaware of your entire medical history.
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