5 Tips & Tricks To Make the Most Out of Your Scented Candles

August 05, 2022

Proper candle care is essential to ensure the longevity and usefulness of your candles. Consider these tips and tricks to make the most out of your scented candles and be confident you’ll have a long-lasting candle that doesn’t tunnel and remains fragrant until the very end.

Prevent Candle Tunneling

Candle tunneling is caused by improper burning techniques. When you don’t allow the candle to burn from edge to edge, the wax forms a memory—this memory essentially echoes the same portion of wax that was first melted during each subsequent burn, which ultimately leads to tunneling. To avoid this, be sure to allow the candle to burn at least one even layer of wax before snuffing it out. If not, tunneling is most likely guaranteed.

Don’t Burn for Too Long

It’s essential to limit candle burning to no more than four hours at a time. If you burn a candle for more than four hours, this may cause carbon to form, which will result in the wick having a mushroom appearance. The wick can then become unstable and susceptible to producing a dangerously large flame with soot and smoke. The smoke is dangerous to inhale, and the soot can end up in the candle, affecting the quality.

Always be sure to let the wax melt to at least the edges on the first burn to decrease the chances of tunneling.

Trim the Wicks

Trimming the wicks is critical in making the most out of your scented candles. The rule of thumb is to always trim the wick about 1/8 to 1/4 inch every time you burn. This helps ensure a cleaner and more even burn by not allowing a mushroom to form or large flames to consume the wick. When the wicks are left untrimmed, they can cause uneven burns, tunnels, and soot.

Avoid Drafts

When lighting your 2-wick scented candles, you should avoid areas with a draft, such as from vents or open windows. The wind may fuel the wick and create a large flame, which can lead to a rapid burn that results in smoke and soot.

Keep It Clean

Keeping your candles clean is essential for the chemicals of the wax to remain intact. You don’t want soot or debris to melt into the wax, as that can create smoke and other unwanted effects. After trimming the wick, keep the wax clean by dusting out the soot or wick pieces.

Proper candle maintenance is the best way to ensure you get the most life out of your candles. Be sure to follow these tips to enjoy hours of quality burns and irresistible fragrance.

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