Candle mistakes can wreak a whole load of havoc in your home, which is upsetting given how much joy these scented jars of wax can bring. Sure, most of us light and store them sensibly, but it only takes one genuine 'wax-ccident' or sheer negligence for things to turn sour.
From puddles of wax on your upholstery to greasy stains on your wall, and even soot marks on your ceiling – we've seen it all. Thankfully, most of these candle fails are avoidable.
But, before you ignite your best candle, it's worth doing your due diligence and avoiding these blunders. And, if you've already experienced a 's-candle', together with industry experts, we'll show you what to do to clear up any mess so that you don't make the same mistake twice, and handle your candles with care.
1. Not trimming your wick
Want to make sure your candle makes the cut for future use? Snipping the string could be the difference between having your best home fragrance fill the air, and setting off your fire alarm, as one expert warns.
'You could be making a mistake before you’ve even lit your candle. If you’re not trimming your wick before every use, you could be damaging your candle and your health. A curling or scorched wick can easily become a safety hazard,' says Rich Quelch, Lifestyle Packaging
'A clumping wick will produce a larger flame while soot build-up can commonly cause excessive smoking and popping, spreading flames and hot wax in the wrong direction. Keep wicks trimmed down to a quarter of an inch each time you use it to make your candle last longer.'
You can use your kitchen scissors, or if you fancy being bougie, invest in a proper wick trimmer.
2. You're not burning your wax for long enough
Like to light your candle for less than 60 minutes at a time? You could be shortening the lifespan of your potted waxes.
'Burning candles for very short periods will give you the tell-tale sign of tunneling – when the wax forms rings around the wick. This is because you aren’t letting the wax melt enough to reach the candle’s edges, meaning you’ll burn through your candles quicker,' explains Quelch
'To help prolong the life of your candles, allow them to burn for at least an hour, allowing the wax to melt properly. Remember, it’s difficult to rectify tunneling once it begins, so stay consistent with your burning habits.'
3. Or, you're over-burning your waxlight
@kokorosewaxco ♬ streets x bitches broken hearts - musicbymorgan
From one candle conundrum to another. If you're letting the product burn for too long, be prepared for a bumpy ride. Pushing the limits of the recommended burn time could signal trouble... and that's before any smoke is seen.
'While you should give your candles enough time to fully melt the wax, you should avoid over-burning them.' warns Quelch.
'Letting candles burn for more than four hours at a time will inevitably lead to a ‘clumping’ effect on your wick from soot build-up which can pose a fire hazard. Additionally, you only ever want to melt the top layer of wax when burning candles – letting them burn for too long could mean your whole candle becomes a liquid mess and may disrupt the positioning of your wick, leading to future uneven burns.'
But what warrants 'over burning' if you haven't been keeping track of the time? Here, Mark Winstanley, chief creative officer, The White Company, spills the secret to burning candles correctly and what you should be looking out for.
'Make sure you stop burning your candle when 10mm of wax remains at the bottom, keeping an eye on a burning candle when the wax is low.'
Got a 'tunneled' candle? Watch this TikTok video to rectify this common candle mistake.
4. You're not covering up your candle
Many of us assume that only cheap, poor-quality candles expel acrid-smelling ash or fumes. But the reality is – budget or premium – all waxes can have unpleasant consequences if you don't keep a watchful eye, or store them appropriately after use.
'Candle debris, such as dust and soot, can cause a whole host of issues, from excessive smoking to clogging up the wick. So, you want to ensure your wax is free from build-up to protect your candle,' advises Quelch.
'Having a lid is an effective way to prevent dust from building up in the candle’s wax when not in use. And be sure to give cool wax a wipe down if you notice any debris.'
'You should also consider where you keep your unused candles. UV light will degrade candles over time, discoloring them and causing them to lose their smell. Instead, always store candles in a cool, dark place such as in a drawer or cabinet away from natural light.'
Consider using candle dust covers to stop the tops of yours looking dirty, but remember to remove these before lighting.
5. You don't know when to put it out
With the price of everything going up, we're all for getting value out of our products these days. But, if you continue to burn your candle past its recommended burn time, you could do damage to the jar. Instead: stop while you're ahead. You can always decant the contents and learn how to make wax melts or even use leftover candle wax to create personalized seals for your stationery. As for the container, we have plenty of ideas for repurposing a candle jar.
'Once you have around half an inch of wax left, it’s time to stop burning your candles,' instructs Quelch.
'Allowing candles to burn beyond this could scorch the base of your candle’s vessel and burn the surface it sits on. Your leftover wax doesn’t have to go to waste – you can easily remove the remaining wax by placing the candle’s vessel in a pot of boiled water, taking care the water doesn’t enter the jar or touch the wax.'
'Once melted, you can remove the wick with a pair of tweezers and pour the liquid wax into silicone molds. The wax will set and become reusable wax melts. If it has lost its fragrance, you can simply add a few drops of essential oil before it sets.'
Another idea if you've accumulated lots of wax, is to create a twisted candle – these are all the rage on TikTok!
6. You're blowing your candles out wrong
You might assume that your scented candles can be given the same lip service as the ones on your birthday cake... but this isn't the case. Now we don't mean to go all safety marshall on you, but asides from the very evident fire hazard that candles present, molten wax can splash on walls, scald skin and even lead to eye injuries. So don't assume you can just blow them out.
'Once I blew so hard it went back in my face and stuck on my eyelashes.' recalls Lindsey Davis, editor-in-chief, eCommerce.
Her advice? Use a snuffer instead. You can find loads of stylish ones on Amazon, including this Calary 3-in-1 candle care set which includes a wick trimmer and dipper.
7. You've carried a candle and splashed wax on the floor
We've all been there. Walking in lockstep to the lounge, only to spill a pool of wax on your floor. Luckily, getting wax out of carpet is pretty easy, if you know how. Our three-step guide will literally walk you through cleaning up your candle wax.
In short, you'll need your iron (or hair dryer), some kitchen / paper towels, and a tea towel to blot it out of the carpet but our advice piece goes into all the juicy waxy details.
Why can't you burn candles for more than 4 hours?
'Burn regular-sized candles for one and a half to two hours at a time,' advises Winstanley.
'Burning for less time can cause the candle to 'tunnel', which leaves a build-up of wax around the vessel's sides. Burning for longer periods (over four hours) can cause the wick to move, or slant.'
