Thursday, February 25, 2016

How to Burn a Candle Cleaner & Longer

One of our favorite items to sell at Good & Perfect Gifts in Eldon is our large variety of incredible candles. We do our best to carry many different sizes, shapes, colors, and scents in our Lake of the Ozarks gift shop


When you find a gorgeous candle in the perfect scent, you want it to last as long as possible and stay as pretty as the day you bought it. Here are a few tips to make sure that any candle you take home burns as cleanly and as long as possible. 

Lighting the Candle

The way a candle is burned the first time you light it greatly determines how it will burn from then on. For pillar and jar candles, you should plan to let the flame burn for 1 hour per every inch in diameter of the candle. For example, a 3-inch pillar candle should be allowed to burn for 3 hours.

This time frame allows the wax to melt all the way across the surface of the candle. If the flame is extinguished before an entire layer of wax is melted, this causes candle tunneling. Once the wick is below the top edge of the candle, it will continue to melt from the center and may not be hot enough to melt the top layer any longer. 

Once you have reached the end of the candle's burning period, let the wax cool completely before lighting it again. If you do not plan to burn a candle for the recommended amount of time, you might choose to light a taper or tealight instead. 

Candle Upkeep

Another way to keep your candle burning properly is to keep the wick trimmed. For the first lighting, don't trim it at all. For every burning after that, keep the wick trimmed to 1/4". Do this before you light it, because trimming the wick while the wax is melted can result in the trimmings falling into the wax. 

If at any time you see smoke coming from the candle, extinguish it, trim the wick slightly, then relight it for the remainder of its burning time. Do not trim the wick too short, because this could cause the flame to not be hot enough to burn the wax the way it should.


Extinguishing the Flame

Candles should be snuffed out rather than blown. Blowing it out can result in excessive smoke, and a powerful puff could even cause wax to spray out. For jar candles, you can use something that is not flammable to cover and suffocate the flame. Leave it over the candle until all of the smoke is gone. For both jars and all other types of candles, a candle snuffer is the easiest way to do this. 

Safety Tips

You should always take precautions when burning a candle. It should be placed on a heat resistant surface away from any drafts. You should keep it out of the reach of children and pets, and never leave a burning candle unattended.   


Follow the tips above and your candle should burn both beautifully and for a long time. We keep a wide variety in stock for you in our candle boutique at the Lake of the Ozarks. If you are a Tyler candle fan, don't miss our weekly Fragrant Thursday. You will receive a free gift if you spend at least $15 on Tyler candles, as well as any other products from Tyler. As a bonus, the value of your free gift increases with the amount of your purchase. Visit us at Good & Perfect Gifts soon and find the perfect scent for every room in your home.   

  



A popular destination gift shop near the
Lake of the Ozarks

1603 Business Hwy 54,
Eldon, Missouri 65026
573-392-7900



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