TRIM THE WICK

Before lighting always trim the wick to 6mm and remove any wick debris as this encourages an even burn.

AVOID DRAUGHTS

Candles burn best in still air but if you can’t avoid draughts, turn the candle periodically to avoid uneven burning and possible candle collapse. A candle in a draught may also start to smoke.

PUTTING CANDLES OUT

Use a candle snuffer to prevent wicks from drifting offcentre and to avoid wax splash. This will help to maximise the candle’s burn time. Blowing out a candle is not recommended as the liquid wax may splatter and the wick may continue to glow and emit smoke.

CANDLE DISPLAYS

When creating decorative candle displays, candles should be separated from each other by a minimum of 10cm to prevent burn problems. Candles that are burnt too close together will affect each candle’s burn quality, which may cause candles to collapse and not burn to their maximum burn times.

CANDLE STORAGE

Candles are sensitive to temperature and light. Avoid candles from fading, cracking and melting by storing your candles in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, dust and fluorescent light. Store your candles in an upright position and don’t leave your candles in your car on a warm day.

WICKS

Regularly trim your wicks. Sometimes you will notice a ‘mushrooming’ of the wick. To provide the cleanest burn possible, we recommend you remove the black ‘mushroom’ before burning and periodically during the burning. Failure to do this may lead to a “Wax Pool Fire” (in Containers and sometimes Votives) where the entire candle may appear to ignite. This is caused when a hot piece of untrimmed wick drops into the melted wax pool and ignites it.

Preventing the “mushroom” effect by regularly trimming the wick and not burning any candle for longer than the maximum recommended burn time will prevent this from occurring.

In the event of a Wax Pool Fire, do not throw water onto it as this will cause the candle to “explode” due to the water suddenly turning to steam on contact with the hot wax. The candle should not be moved or touched while the wax is on fire. Either blow it out, cover with a fire blanket or use a fire extinguisher. Choosing the correct candle for your candle holder A helpful tip in deciding if a vessel is the right size for a candle is the 70/30 ratio (70% empty space to 30% candle) - a general rule we use is making sure at least three finger widths can fit the entire way around the candle before touching the edge. If the vessel is not an adequate size, it can cause the candle to overheat and collapse. Setting the candle memory To get the maximum burn times from your candles, in particular pillar candles, you need to set the candle memory. To set the candle memory, burn the candle for one hour for every 2.5cm of its diameter the first time the candle is lit. This will allow the pool of wax to extend to the outside rim and prevent the candle from forming a crater. Each time the candle is lit after setting the memory, the candle will burn out to the rim. Maximum session burn times Never burn a candle for longer than three hours at a time. If a candle is burnt for excessive periods without being allowed to re-solidify, even the best candle can burn out the sides because of excessive heat.

 

What is a candle's minimum burn time?

Burn time is affected by wax type; wick size and type; the actual insertion of the wick; dye colouring (a darker candle will not burn the same as a light one) and burn environment (draughts will significantly reduce the burn time).

A good rule of thumb is always to burn your pillar candles for 1 hour per 2.5cm of diameter each time you light them. This allows a wax pool to develop, preventing the candle wall from falling in.