Candle Care
A soy candle rewards a little attention. These five habits give you a cleaner flame, a stronger scent and every hour of burn time you paid for.
1. Make the first burn count
Burn for two to three hours the first time, until the melted wax reaches the edge of the vessel. Soy “remembers” its first melt pool; a short first burn leaves a tunnel down the middle that it never recovers from.
2. Trim the wick, every time
Before lighting, trim the wick to about 5 mm (a quarter inch). A long wick makes a tall, flickering flame that soots the glass and burns through wax faster.
3. Four hours, then rest
Burn for up to four hours at a time, then put it out and let the wax set fully before the next light. Longer burns overheat the vessel and mushroom the wick.
4. Put it out gently
Use a snuffer or dip the wick into the melted wax and straighten it again. Blowing it out scatters soot and smoke through the room you just scented.
5. Know when to stop
When about 1 cm of wax is left, the candle is finished. Burning lower can overheat the glass and the surface beneath it.
Safety
- Never leave a burning candle unattended, and never fall asleep with one lit.
- Keep it on a stable, heat-safe surface, away from drafts, curtains, shelves above and anything that can catch fire.
- Keep candles out of reach of children and pets.
- Do not move a candle while it is lit or while the wax is liquid.
- Stop if the flame becomes very tall, smokes or flickers repeatedly: let it cool, trim the wick, check for drafts, then relight.
Reusing the vessel
Put the finished candle in the freezer for an hour. The leftover wax pops out in one piece. Peel off the wick tab, wash the vessel in warm soapy water and it is ready for its next life.