Caring for Candles

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

04 Jan 2008 06:52 AM

Do you know all of the little tricks of the trade to care for your candles? With these tips, you can stop your candles from smoking, help them burn evenly to last longer and keep yourself and your family safe. read on for these tips on caring for your candles.

One of the first things I did as a new homeowner was to fill my space with pretty scented candles. I loved to light the different scents and evoke different moods. Of course, I love the Yankee candles. I remember when I first came across them, while I was living in New England. (The original Yankee Candle factory is in Boston.) I thought that these candles were just to good to be true. I felt as though I was a kid in a candy store. There were so many different ones to try. Some worked out well, such as Home Sweet Home (which also goes by other names) and Roses of Cliff Walk, while some didn't, such as Chocolate and Midnight.

But through all of that experimentation, I learned a few things about caring for candles that I thought I would share with you. Here you go!

Always trim your candle wicks. An ideal length is about a quarter of an inch. Shorter wicks give a more controlled flame and will reduce the chance of the wick bending. This will thereby reduce the amount of smoke produce and help your candle to burn evenly. You want to snip all of the black coal-like stuff on the end of the wick.

Don't light a scented candle unless you can let it burn for at least three or four hours. This is the amount of time that it generally takes to produce the most scent and get a nice even burning.

Rotate your candle a quarter turn each hour. This will help it burn evenly. Sometimes there are drafts or the surface that the candle sits upon isn't exactly level. Rotating the candle will help.

Never leave a candle unattended. Never. Don't even leave the room with a candle still lit. You never know what might happen, from a cat on the prowl, to a child, to a piece of lint that might get in the way. If you must leave the room, blow out the candle, or sit it inside of a deep sink or bathtub until you get back.

Related Articles:

Frugal Winter Wonderland: Ice Candles

Make Your Candles Last Longer

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger