General Candle Care

Preparation

Some candles will require that the wick is trimmed before it is lit. If the wick is left too long then the flame will flicker and smoke. However, a wick that is too short can also be problematic. Causing candlesticks to drip and votives and tealights to leave unconsumed wax.

Candlestick wicks should be trimmed to 1/2", pillars and ornamentals should trimmed no shorter than 1/4". The wicks of  votives and tealights do NOT need to be trimmed.

Burn your candle in a draft-free environment and keep out of reach of pets and children. Candles should NEVER be left unattended.

Flame On

However you light your candle, make sure to light the candle at the base of the wick rather than the tip to get the wax flowing.

Under most conditions our candles are virtually dripless. However, all candles are sensitive to air movement and drafts can cause flame flickers which may lead to drips. If your candle drips, extinguish it, remove it from any drafts, and relight it. 

Depending on your candle, you may have to extinguish the candle and trim the  wick periodically. Signs that you may need to trim your wick include:

• The flame is flickering and/or smoking
• The flame is large and loses its teardrop shape
• The wax pool gets close to the edge of the candle
• A carbon cap develops on the wick

You should never leave matches or  trimmed pieces of wick in the candle. Debris can cause your candle to burn too hot which may result in uneven burning or even wax spills.

 

Out Like a Light

There is also an art to extinguishing your candles. Pillars and large diameter candles should be extinguished by dipping the wick into the melted wax and then straightening it out again. Make sure to center the wick for an even burn.

Candlesticks, votives and tealights should be snuffed out with a wick snuffer, or other equivalent tool. If tealights are extinguished when they are less than half consumed then they may not burn completely upon being re-lit.

 

Cleaning Beeswax

The best way we have found to clean beeswax from candle cups or holders is to freeze for a few hours and then knock the wax off with an old butter knife. You should then wash the cup with warm soapy water.

In case you spill on fabric, place the item in the freezer until it hardens and then chip the wax off. You can also cover both sides of the fabric with paper towels and press a warm iron over the spill. Repeat with clean paper towels until the wax is completely absorbed.