To maximize the quality, longevity and safety of your soy candles, we recommend the following to care for your candle:
Safety First – follow these steps for candle safety:
Always burn your soy candle within site, away from children and away from anything that can catch fire, avoid drafty areas.
Always trim your wick to 1/4″ each time before lighting it – This prevents the wick from burning with a larger flame which can cause smoke or soot on the glass or can lead to debris in your candle that could flame.
Never leave the cut wick or any debris in your candle – this will allow your wax to be free of debris as mentioned above.
Always burn on a suitable surface and protect the surface under your candle
Stop burning your candle when only 1/2″ of wax remains. If you choose to continue to burn a low wax candle the heat will transfer to the glass instead of the wax which can cause issue.
Don’t burn your candle for more than four hours at a time. This is a really important one! When you burn it for too long, the wax becomes fully liquid and causes movement of the wick.
To get the most enjoyment from your soy candles:
The first time you burn your candle, burn it long enough for the melted wax to reach all the way to the edge of your jar. Not doing so, could create a “tunnel” which makes it difficult to stay lit in the future.
Did you know that there are specific ways you can care for your candle to help it last longer and stay beautiful? Here are important tips that will maximize the life of your candle–and some tricks if you need to “fix-it”!
Candle Wick Prep
The wick should be trimmed to 1/4 inch before each lighting. Be sure to remove the trimmings from the candle to keep the surface clean.
Trimming the wick before each burn keeps it from smoking, popping, and creating soot.
The First Burn
The first burn of your candle sets the stage for all subsequent burns! That’s why it’s the most important.
Allow your candle to burn long enough for the wax to melt all the way to the edges. This can take at least 2 hours, longer for larger candles. Doing this will ensure your candle doesn’t “tunnel” or make those rings you might have seen in the past.
If the soy wax doesn’t melt all the way across, you will end up leaving wax around the edge of the candle and I want you to be able to burn your candle for as long as it’s meant to.
Each time you burn your candle, the wax should melt all the way to the outer edges to keep a beautiful even surface.
Other Important Candle Care Tips
- Choose the perfect spot for your candle. It should sit on a level, fire-resistant surface.
- Your candle should be lit in a place that is away from drafts—including fans, open windows, air conditioner etc…. Air movement can interfere with the flame, leading to those not-so-pretty smoky marks on the glass and soot in the wax.
- For utmost safety, keep it out of reach of children and pets, and never burn on or near anything that can catch fire.
- Do not burn for more than 4 hours at a time or while sleeping.
- Store with the lid on. This keeps dust from accumulating, which can affect the scent when burned.
Have a Candle Dilemma?
Find answers to common candle issues and get your candle back on track for beautiful burning.
➡️ My wick won’t light.
This is usually the case when a wick is too short or a cotton wick has bent over and is buried in the wax.
A great trick is to melt the wax just around the wick. You can use a blow dryer or heat gun to soften the wax. You can even use a long lighter, but it will take a little bit longer.
If your wick is buried, use tweezers, a Q-tip, or even a toothpick to bring the wick up out of the wax. You’ll want to hold it upright while the wax cools.
If your wick is too short, then carefully use a paper towel to dab up the melted wax around the wick. Do this until about an 1/8 to 1/4 inch of wick is showing above the wax. Allow the candle to cool before lighting it.
Remember–for either of these situations, be sure to let the wax melt all the way to the edges of the candle when you re-light it. This will help smooth out the surface if you had to dig out your wick and keep it from tunneling.
➡️ My candle keeps going out.
Many times this is caused by wax getting on a cotton wick or a wood wick being too charred.
For a cotton wick, light the candle for a few seconds. Have a paper towel or paper napkin ready and blow it out. Use the paper towel to wipe off any excess wax that might be on the wick. Then re-light. Repeat if needed, but usually that does the trick.
For a wood wick, the charred wood needs to be trimmed. The burnt part of the wood won’t stay lit. Use a wick trimmer, paper towel, or tissue to remove the burnt part of the wick. Then re-light.
For both of these tricks, be sure to use caution so you don’t burn yourself–the wicks should not be too hot when you do this.
➡️ There are soot marks on my jar.
Many times, using a damp cloth to wipe the edges and sides of the candle will work. However, you can also try using a paper towel with a little bit of coconut oil on it for any stubborn marks.
➡️ I had to extinguish my candle early, and now my candle has rings (tunneling).
Believe it or not, there is a way to get rid of that excess wax on the edge of your candle created from tunneling. And it involves tin foil!
All you need to do is wrap a strip of tin foil around the top edge of your candle. Fold the foil in so that it hangs over the area with the wax build-up. This might be all the way around, or it might just be on one side.
Be sure there is an opening in the foil at the top of the candle that is wide enough for it to burn correctly.
Allow the candle to burn for at least 2 hours or until the wax has melted all the way to the edges of the candle. Remove the foil and you’ll have a beautiful, even, and smooth wax surface again!