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Did You Know...
Candle Burning Tips
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I didn't Know That
Often times we are caught by surprise in our routine
lectures of how to burn a candle, when people reply "I didn't know
that".
Hopefully this will answer any of your questions, and extinguish any
of those "myths".
Our wicks contain a "wire" core
This wire is not LEAD, but zinc. Totally
harmless and used only to give the wick stability as the candle liquefies.
Burn
Time Is Important
To keep a candle from "tunneling", you
must burn it long enough to liquefy all the way across its diameter.
Very Important!
Trimming Wicks
You must keep all wicks trimmed to ¼" or less. Many
people trim before each burn. Others are "all day candle burners" and
trimming can be done while burning.
Trim as close to the wax as possible
but don't
cut so much of the wick off that you cannot keep it lit; that's called
a drowning wick.
Avoid Drafts With Flames
Keep any "flamed" items away from drafts,
especially ceiling fans or heat registers . This will cause a candle
to burn unevenly and smoke.
Double-Wicked Candles
A double-wicked candle will not burn
faster than a single wick but will burn cleaner.
We
began our business using single wicks in all of our 4" wide
candles. Not only was it difficult for some people
to have the time to let it burn for 5 or more hours at a time just
to liquefy, but it also led to smoking after prolonged hours of burn
time.
The single wick basically had to work too hard and long to achieve
the end result.
We switched to two small wicks and have
been very happy with the results. We think you will be too.
Smoking Wick
When
a wick is first lit you may see a bit of smoking from the wick until
it is "fed" or
saturated completely.
Think of a train that's
working hard to get up a hill and puffing smoke.
Yet when it reaches level ground it levels out, so to speak, and the
puffing stops. Wicks are not much different.
Wick Build-Ups
Black, ball-like
build-ups at the top of wicks are known in the industry as "mushrooms".
These are carbon deposits caused
by highly fragrant candles. This is almost impossible to avoid,
especially after long burn periods.
These "mushrooms" will
be trimmed off as you trim your wick.
Do not allow these deposits to fall into your candle as they
could become a fire hazard.
Extinguishing Your Candle
Always use a "smothering" method to extinguish your candle flame.
There are several ways to do this.
- You may use
a "quencher" which
pinches the wick.
- You may
have a traditional snuffer that is placed down over the
flame and left for a few seconds (see
our behive-style
snuffer).
- You may choose to place
the lid back on the candle, though some candle
manufacturers do not recommend this. They prefer
you "blow" the
flame out and immediately place
the lid back on the jar to prevent any smoke
from escaping.
- Lastly you may take scissors
or tweezers and dip the flaming
wick into its
own liquefied wax for several
seconds. Once extinguished, pull the wick
upright again. This method will also coat
your wick and make relighting easier.
The
choice is yours.
Candle Safety
Never leave a burning candle
unattended, especially as it
nears the bottom. Allowing a candle to burn when
all you have left is liquefied
wax could cause the jar to "over-heat" and
break.
Smoking Candles
Causes of "smoking" candles:
- Drafts
- Too large of a wick for the jar
- Cheap wax
- Too much scent or certain types of scents
- Wick too long
- Prolonged burn times. If you notice your
candle smoking after a prolonged period, simply
extinguish and allow the wick to rest and cool.
Any Myths We Haven't Heard Yet?
We hope this information was helpful
and informative. If you still have questions, send
us an email.
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