How to Care for Soy Candles
Did you know that there are specific ways you can care for your candle to help it last longer and stay beautiful? Here are important tips that will maximize the life of your candle--and some tricks if you need to "fix-it"!
Wick Prep and The First Burn
This step is overlooked by many! We believe the prep and first burn of your soy candle are absolutely the most important. But don't stress...just follow these candle care tips and enjoy your candle to the fullest.
Candle Wick Prep
No matter if you have a wood or cotton wick, it needs to be trimmed. Using a wick trimmer is ideal because it gives the wick a clean, even cut. Plus, its design makes this step quick and easy! If you don’t have one, scissors can do the trick too.
The wick should be trimmed to 1/4 inch before each lighting. Be sure to remove the trimmings from the candle to keep the surface clean.
Trimming the wick before each burn keeps it from smoking, popping, and creating soot.
The First Burn
The first burn of your candle sets the stage for all subsequent burns! That's why it's the most important.
Allow your candle to burn long enough for the wax to melt all the way to the edges. This can take at least 2 hours, longer for larger candles. Doing this will ensure your candle doesn’t “tunnel” or make those rings you might have seen in the past.
If the soy wax doesn’t melt all the way across, you will end up leaving wax around the edge of the candle and I want you to be able to burn your candle for as long as it’s meant to.
Each time you burn your candle, the wax should melt all the way to the outer edges to keep a beautiful even surface.
Other Important Candle Care Tips
- Choose the perfect spot for your candle. It should sit on a level, fire-resistant surface.
- Your candle should be lit in a place that is away from drafts—including fans, open windows, air conditioner etc…. Air movement can interfere with the flame, leading to those not-so-pretty smoky marks on the glass and soot in the wax.
- For utmost safety, keep it out of reach of children and pets, and never burn on or near anything that can catch fire.
- Do not burn for more than 4 hours at a time or while sleeping.
- Store with the lid on. This keeps dust from accumulating, which can affect the scent when burned.
Have a Candle Dilemma?
Find answers to common candle issues and get your candle back on track for beautiful burning.
➡️ My wick won't light.
This is usually the case when a wick is too short or a cotton wick has bent over and is buried in the wax.
A great trick is to melt the wax just around the wick. You can use a blow dryer or heat gun to soften the wax. You can even use a long lighter, but it will take a little bit longer.
If your wick is buried, use tweezers, a Q-tip, or even a toothpick to bring the wick up out of the wax. You'll want to hold it upright while the wax cools.
If your wick is too short, then carefully use a paper towel to dab up the melted wax around the wick. Do this until about an 1/8 to 1/4 inch of wick is showing above the wax. Allow the candle to cool before lighting it.
Remember--for either of these situations, be sure to let the wax melt all the way to the edges of the candle when you re-light it. This will help smooth out the surface if you had to dig out your wick and keep it from tunneling.
➡️ My candle keeps going out.
Many times this is caused by wax getting on a cotton wick or a wood wick being too charred.
For a cotton wick, light the candle for a few seconds. Have a paper towel or paper napkin ready and blow it out. Use the paper towel to wipe off any excess wax that might be on the wick. Then re-light. Repeat if needed, but usually that does the trick.
For a wood wick, the charred wood needs to be trimmed. The burnt part of the wood won't stay lit. Use a wick trimmer, paper towel, or tissue to remove the burnt part of the wick. Then re-light.
For both of these tricks, be sure to use caution so you don't burn yourself--the wicks should not be too hot when you do this.
➡️ There are soot marks on my jar.
Many times, using a damp cloth to wipe the edges and sides of the candle will work. However, you can also try using a paper towel with a little bit of coconut oil on it for any stubborn marks.
➡️ I had to extinguish my candle early, and now my candle has rings (tunneling).
Believe it or not, there is a way to get rid of that excess wax on the edge of your candle created from tunneling. And it involves tin foil!
All you need to do is wrap a strip of tin foil around the top edge of your candle. Fold the foil in so that it hangs over the area with the wax build-up. This might be all the way around, or it might just be on one side.
Be sure there is an opening in the foil at the top of the candle that is wide enough for it to burn correctly.
Allow the candle to burn for at least 2 hours or until the wax has melted all the way to the edges of the candle. Remove the foil and you'll have a beautiful, even, and smooth wax surface again!