We know what it is like to be obsessed with candles, as we are obsessed too (maybe a little too obsessed). I have candles all over our house and every time I look at an empty space, my mind automatically asks myself ‘Candle?’ and of course, the answer is always, ‘100%!’
Candles have the ability to create an ambience in any room, whether small or big, they can always set the right tone and atmosphere. Scented or unscented candles are an essential for any living space. A lot of the time, I have to wait a while to actually start burning a candle because I hate the thought of taking away its ‘perfect’ look. However, with Katie Astle candles, the reset is absolutely beautiful, just as beautiful as if it had never been lit. If you look after it the way it needs to be looked after, the wooden wick is crisp and the surface is smooth and creamy. I always wanted to protect the candles appearance and ensure that I am caring for the candle in the right way, in order to get the ultimate use out of it.
Do you know how to care for your beautiful candles? If not, don’t be afraid to say no, because truth be known, I had no idea before I buried myself in research and worked within the industry.
Keep reading to read about how you can care for your candles and make sure you benefit from their full potential.
Trimming the Wick -
Our candles are created with wooden wicks, which are self-trimming wicks, however, if the wick is longer than 5mm, you should always trim to roughly 5mm before lighting your candle. You can use a sharp pair of scissors or a pair of candle wick scissors. This helps to stop any build up on your wicks and encourages your candle to perform to its best, providing the cleanest burn possible and an even burn too.
Burning the Candle -
We all know we would love to burn our favourite candles all day and fill our home’s with beautiful fragrances 24/7, however, unfortunately, we cannot do that with candles because as the wax melts and starts to heat up, the jar containing the wax will also heat up and if your candle is burning all day and all night, it could potentially crack the glass and cause a fire hazard. In my experience, I have had some very forgetful friends who in the past have managed to forget about their burning candle and left them burning overnight and fortunately, they were okay, the house was okay and the jars were absolutely fine (thankfully!!). Their homes smelt lovely when they woke up in the morning, to which they were extremely happy about, but me on the other hand... a wave of panic and concern flooded my mind - what could have happened if it didn't go the way it did. Therefore, I would strongly advise that you should not burn a candle for any longer than 4 hours.
First Burn - Protect Your Candle!
We think one of the most crucial tips for when you are burning your candles is to always ensure that your candle has reached a full melt pool before blowing it out. Have you ever lit a candle for 20 minutes or so before you’re planning to go out or maybe you’ve lit a candle and then plans have changed and you need to go out, so you have had to blow your candle out after only being lit for 10 minutes? One question, how has your candle performed after that?
The first burn of a candle is absolutely crucial and I cannot stress this enough because if the first burn goes wrong, so does the rest of your candle! When you light your candle for the first time, please make sure that the melted circle around the flame reaches the sides of the candle jar before you blow it out. So, if you only want to quickly burn a candle for whatever reason, stop and grab some wax melts instead and save the candle for when you can take care of it properly.
You might be thinking why does this matter and why does this affect the whole candles performance. Well, have you ever had a candle where there is so much built up wax around the edge of the container and you get frustrated because there’s so much more wax left to melt and you’ve missed out on pretty much half a candle? This ladies and gents, is called the ‘tunnelling’ effect and this is what you do not want your candle to do or have. So, remember, always burn to the edges of the container on your first burn!!
Candle Location -
When it comes to candle care, you don't want to place your candle anywhere - make sure you check the area first. Remove anything that could cause a fire and free from foreign materials, this includes wick trimmings and matches. Also, avoid putting it in areas that have drafts or vents.
When placing candles near each other, you always want to make sure they are at least 3 inches apart from one another. This ensures they don’t melt the other, or create a draft that could potentially cause a fire, uneven burning, or dripping.
Extinguishing Your Candle –
Have you used or heard of a candle snuffle before? I hadn’t either until I realised how crucial they are to your candle care. When extinguishing your candle, we advise to use a candle snuffer as this will maximise your candle burn time. Blowing out your candle is not recommended as the liquid wax may splatter and your wick may continue to glow and emit a small amount of smoke – which is perfectly natural when you extinguish a candle by blowing it out rather than using a snuffer. Once your candle has been extinguished, allow the wax to solidify before moving it, etc.
I hope this has helped you all when it comes to caring for your candles, as I know I had no idea about any of this before working within the industry. If you have any questions, please let me know below!
I hope you are all well and if you have got this far, thank you for reading my candle care blog!
Love and light,
Katie A x