How to Safely Burn and Enjoy Your Candle

Candle Fire Safety Checks: Trim Your Wick

If you want to burn your candles safely, be sure to trim your wick. Candle burning should be a simple way to de-stress, so we want to teach you about candle safety. Caring for your candles makes them safer to burn without any hazards.

The right types of candles change the atmosphere. They are a great way to quiet the noise from the outside world.

Those little moments to yourself let you release a day’s worth of stress. Even 15 minutes of self-care is enough to turn your day around.

Proper fire safety brings candle users security and peace of mind. On top of cutting your candlewick, there are a few other things to keep in mind. Read these important tips and tricks for basic candle care.

How to Trim Your Wick to Avoid an Unclean-Burning Candle

Sadly, most people ignore the most important step. Wick trimming keeps your candle healthy and ready-to-use. If you notice a flickering flame or black smoke, the wick needs to be trimmed.

Use sharp tools to cut your wick, including nail clippers, scissors, a wick trimmer, etc.

Keep the height of your wick at 1/4 of an inch and keep the trim even. If your wick is lop-sided, the wax and the flame grow uneven. Uneven wax might cause the glass to shatter.

Give your candle time between burns. Never pass 4 hours of burn time, and do not trim a candle with melted wax. Instead, wait until the candle reaches room temperature. Let the wax get solid, and then trim your wick before relighting.

Why Is Candle Wick Trimming Important?

There are a lot of reasons to trim your candlewick.

First, a trimmed wick lets the wax melt evenly in all directions. You do not want solid wax on one side because the glass may break.

Secondly, an untrimmed candlewick is dry and does not hold any wax. The burnt candle wick has no moisture on the inside, and that causes unclean burning. You may notice a black smokey substance as the candlewick burns. If you see black soot, you failed to trim the wick properly.

Other Candle Fire Safety Checks

 We explained the point of trimming your wick, but there are other things to keep in mind. Basic candle care involves more than wick trimming. Proper fire safety checks are the best way to keep you and your family safe and worry-free. Burning a candle responsibly takes a few steps, but they are easy. Here are some candle burning safety checks to keep you and your family safe:

• Use a heat-resistant candleholder.
• The candle’s wax should be clear of any debris, including ash.
• Keep flammable things away from open flames.
• Keep candles away from walls, children, and pets.
• Never stack or double-up lit candles.
• Never fall asleep or leave an open flame in a room by itself.
• Do not use water to douse the flame.
• Do not let the wax burn to the base of the glass.
• Discard your candle when the wax reaches half an inch in height.

Is Soy Wax Safer Than Paraffin Wax?

Lots of environmentally conscious people doubt the usage of candles in general. If you are the type to prefer soy candles, you may wonder if they are truly safer.

Your candle burning safety checks should include healthy choices too! Most health-conscious people are skeptical of paraffin wax because it is synthetically sourced. Some researchers think that paraffin wax gives off toxic fumes.

The biggest concerns are black smoke and the ingredients in paraffin wax. Some studies compare a candle’s black smoke to smoking a cigarette. If something that toxic burns in your home, it is bound to do some damage.

Here is the truth:

The results are inconclusive. There are no studies that favor paraffin wax over naturally sourced ingredients. South Carolina State University’s study failed to show facts to support its claim. The European Candle Association and the National Candle Association disagreed with the study.  No studies have proven that paraffin wax is harmful.

Naturally Sourced and Handmade Options:

Environmentally conscious people prefer handmade and naturally sourced options. If you feel safer using a handmade, natural wax, that is okay! There are plenty of options for you, including:

• Soy Wax
• Beeswax
• Coconut Wax
• Palm Wax

Soy candles do not produce as much black soot and following the fire safety checks will allow you to safely burn and enjoy any your candle in a stress-free environment.

Naturally sourced ingredients feel like a safer option for most people. Finding handmade sources is an excellent way to support small business owners too!

There are only a handful of studies about the health effects of lighting candles. For the most part, health-conscious people would rather be safe than sorry.

Practice Safe Candle-Burning with Keys 4 Life Inc.

Keys 4 Life Inc. cares about your health and safety. We strive to educate every customer on the safest way to burn their candles. Our handmade, naturally sourced soy wax candles give people that little moment of relaxation and we want our customers to have a moment to themselves. After long days filled with responsibilities, you deserve to R&R&R (Relax-Renew & Refresh) your mind, body and soul while safely enjoying longer burn times with your candle.

Did we teach you something new about safely burning your candle? Contact us and let us know!