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From creating a cozy atmosphere to adding a touch of luxury, candles are a beloved part of many homes. However, to fully enjoy their beauty and fragrance, it's essential to prioritize safety. Each year, thousands of house fires are caused by candles, but with a few simple precautions, you can enjoy the warm glow of candles without worry. In this guide, we'll explore essential candle safety tips to help you enjoy your candles responsibly and safely.
Here are a couple tips or if you'd like to call it, a complete guide on how to ensure you can enjoy a nice lit candle, safely:
13 Essential Tips for Candles:
Before Lighting
Before lighting any brand-new candle, you always want to try to trim the wick 1/4 inch. Cutting prevents uneven burning, dripping or flaring. This can be done with a wick trimmer, a nail clipper or scissors.
Keep the wax pool clear. You want to be sure to remove any dust covers, debris, matches or anything that can potentially catch fire or cause harm when you light your candle.
Always use the proper candle holder specifically designed for candle use. Heat resistant, sturdy and wide enough to be able catch any drips or melted wax from pouring onto any surfaces that can be damaged.
While You're Burning
Keep the candle on a stable, heat-resistant surface. This won't only protect your furniture that you spent your well-earned money on, but it would also prevent the candle from tipping over if were to burn through said furniture. This could prevent wax spills and house fires.
Burn candles in a well-ventilated room. It's important to ensure that you keep your candle out of the way of an air draft. Drafts could cause the flame from the candle to "dance around" and catch something else on fire and forbid something flammable at that. Keeping your candle in a well-ventilated room helps to disperse any soot or potential fumes, especially for my candle lovers who enjoy burning more than one candle at a time.
Keep the wax pool clean. Back in the day people would light their candle with a match then throw the match in the candle wax. That is a big no-no! This actually should be done before you light your candle, but it is important to make sure the wax pool is free from debris like wick trimmings, matches, or dust. Foreign objects in the wax can act as a secondary wick, causing the candle to burn improperly or flare up.
Be mindful of your burn time. For the first burn, let the candle melt to the edges of the container. This helps prevent tunneling, which can waste wax and shorten the candle’s lifespan. Generally, burn your candle for 1 hour for every inch of its diameter, but don’t exceed 4 hours at a time to avoid overheating the container.
Never leave a burning candle unattended. As tempted as we might be to leave that candle burning because you feel the need to run outside to chat with a neighbor really quickly, it is not the best thing to do. This is one of the most important rules of candle safety. Always extinguish your candle when leaving the room, and never leave it burning overnight. You don't want that one time to be that one time, if you know what I mean. Accidents like that are completely avoidable by just extinguishing your candle before you leave.
Keep candles out of the reach of children or pets. As mothers, we know to keep "gentle" things high and out of the reach of little hands. Do the same with your candles. Kimi's Custom Candles has a gentle flickering sound with the burn of our wooden wicks and although this sounds soothing for a sexy night in with your significant other, it is also the sound of curiosity to those little ones. On the other hand, I know cats can be sneaky little buggers and they are amazing climbers. I do not own any cats but if you do you can use hurricane candle covers or open candle toppers to keep cats and dogs away from the flames.
Use the right candle holders. Ensure your candle holder is the right size for the candle. The holder should be sturdy enough to support the candle and should catch any drips or melted wax. Always place the holder on a heat-resistant surface.
When extinguishing a candle
To extinguish a candle, use a candle snuffer or gently blow it out while holding your hand behind the flame to catch any flying embers. Never use water to extinguish a candle, as it can cause the hot wax to splatter and may even crack a glass container.
Store candles properly. Store your candles in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. This prevents discoloration and maintains the candle’s fragrance and burning quality.
Know when enough is enough. When only about 1/2 inch of wax remains in the container, it’s time to stop burning the candle. Continuing to burn it can overheat the container and potentially cause it to crack or shatter.
So, in all, burning candles is an amazing way to enhance your home’s atmosphere, but safety should always be your number one priority. By following these 13 essential tips for candles, you can enjoy the warm glow and delightful scents of your candles without any worries. Happy candle burning!
Peace,
Kim
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