Candle care and safety

A candle that is trimmed, burned long enough on the first lighting and kept away from drafts will smell better, burn evenly and last for its full stated time. These rules come from the National Candle Association (NCA) and from the makers whose candles we sell.

Before you light it

• Trim the wick to a quarter inch before every burn. The NCA says this prevents high flames and soot.
• Clear the surface of matches, wick trimmings and dust.
• Place it on a stable, heat-resistant surface, away from anything that can catch fire. The NCA recommends at least 12 inches from curtains, bedding and books, and at least 3 inches between candles.

The first burn and tunneling

Soy and coconut waxes have what makers call a memory: if the first burn stops before the melted wax reaches the edge of the vessel, later burns tend to follow the same small circle, leaving a ring of unused wax. That is tunneling. The Roosevelts Candle Co. advises a first burn of about three to four hours until the whole surface is liquid; Slow North gives the same guidance. A wick that is too long can also cause tunneling.

While it burns

• Never leave a burning candle unattended, and keep it out of reach of children and pets.
• Avoid drafts, which cause uneven burning and soot.
• Limit each burn. The makers we stock recommend no more than four hours at a time.

Putting it out and when to stop

Use a snuffer or dip the wick into the melt pool and straighten it, to avoid smoke and splashing wax. The NCA says to stop using a candle when half an inch of wax remains, so the vessel does not overheat.

Wax types and soot

Makers describe their wax as soy, coconut, beeswax, paraffin or a blend. The NCA states that all types of quality candle wax have been shown to burn cleanly, safely and in the same manner, and that soot is mostly elemental carbon produced by improper burning, such as an untrimmed wick or a draft, rather than by the wax type. Claims such as “clean-burning” or “non-toxic” on a product page are the brand’s own.

How a candle works

Heat from the flame melts the wax near the wick; the liquid wax is drawn up the wick by capillary action and vaporized, and the vapor is what burns. That is why a wick that is too long or too short changes the flame.

Choosing from our range

Every candle in the candles collection is poured by an independent maker such as Slow North, Ghost Poppy, The Roosevelts Candle Co. or Grow Fragrance, and each product page lists the wax, wick and burn time the brand states. Wick trimmers and snuffers are in the accessories collection.