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The
Art of Burning Natural Wax Candles
When you first start
living with candles on a day-to-day basis, you probably don't
expect you'll be doing much more than just striking a match,
then sitting back to enjoy the candlelight. Well, there is
a bit more to burning candles. For a few of us it's a science;
for most all of us, it's definitely an art—indeed, a
lost art.
The good news is that
the benefits of incorporating candlelight in your daily life
far outweigh the few easy things you need to do to take care
of them. And, there's really not so much "to do"
as there is to be aware of— only a very few things you
really have to do (see "Burn
your candles mindfully" below).
The greater your awareness
of living with and caring for your candles, the better they'll
perform, and the richer your experience.
Discover
the secrets for living by natural candlelight.
Some of these tips
and tricks you may already know. Some you may not. They're
all very, very useful:
Burn your pillar candle
one hour for every inch of its diameter the first time you
light it. This will allow the pool of wax to extend to the
outside rim and prevent your candle from forming a "canyon"
in its center.
Burning your candle
this way will also set its memory. Each time you re-light
the candle it will "remember" to burn out to the
rim.
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Trim the wick of any candle— canister candle, pillar,
taper, tealight or votive—to one-quarter inch every time
you light the candle. This will ensure clean, smoke-free burning.
Be sure to remove any wick debris that has fallen into the
candle.
If in the unlikely event that your candle is smoking, and
you've already trimmed the wick to one-quarter inch, extinguish
the candle immediately. Pinch or trim the wick just a bit
more and the smoking will stop.
If you've bought a
Natural Wax Candle,
you shouldn't have problems with smoking. Natural
Wax Candles are virtualy
smokeless and soot free.
The most effective
way to extinguish the flame of a candle is to use a candle
snuffer. The snuffer helps prevent the wax from spraying,
and keeps the wick centered as well.
If you don't have a snuffer, here's an effective way to extinguish
a candle: Position your forefinger between the candle and
your mouth, aligning it with the flame. When you blow at the
candle, the "air" will circle around your finger,
and hit the flame from both sides, rather than approaching
it directly. It's a clever trick. Try it!
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You can keep your candles smooth and silky-looking by gently
rubbing them with ordinary nylon stockings. This will remove
scratches, and will also rub off the "bloom" that
forms on a beeswax candle.
To guard your candles
against fading, avoid placing them in direct sunlight.
Store your candles
in a dry, cool, dark place.
Before you slip a
votive candle into a votive cup or holder, drop a teaspoon
of water into the cup. This way, when you want to remove the
votive candle to replace it with another, the candle should
slide out easily. Plus, you won't have to struggle, or run
the risk of damaging the holder.
Check periodically
to make sure there is ample water remaining in the holder.
Special tip: To sample
a scented candle, breathe the fragrance in from the bottom
of the candle rather than the top or side. Undisturbed by
circulating air, the aroma will be intensely concentrated
there, more so than on any other part of the candle.
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Important! Burn your candles mindfully.
While all of the above
ideas offer suggestions to enhance your candlelight experience,
the following advice includes absolute "musts."
We strongly recommend your following these important steps
for using your candles safely.
1.Never leave a burning candle
unattended.
2.Keep candles out of the reach
of children and pets.
3.Always place your candles on
sturdy, non-flammable holders, in sizes appropriate for the
candles.
4.Always light candles in draft-free
areas, to prevent dripping and smoking. If a draft cannot
be avoided, turn the candle 180 degrees every
hour.
5.Never burn a candle completely.
Dispose of it when it burns to within one inch of the base
or holder.
6.Remember to remove the labels
on your candles before you light them.
To paraphrase the old saying, if it's worth doing, it's worth
doing right. From those of us who live by candlelight every
single day of the year—the folks who work at
NaturalWaxCandle.com—we
hope the lessons we've learned about candle care will be helpful
for you. And as we discover more secrets to the art of burning
candles, we'll continue to pass them along to you.
Meanwhile, welcome
to the world of candlelight. It is an honor to share our experiences
with you!
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We are committed to your
complete satisfaction with your entire Natural Wax Candle
experience or your money back - Period. If you have questions
or feedback, feel free to contact us at info@naturalwaxcandle.com
or by calling us at 610-777-8696.
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