There really is nothing like the soft gentle flicker of candle light, and something primal about our fascination with fires and flames. If you’re like me then it’s a daily ritual to light a candle. It gives me a soothing sense of calm after a busy day, perhaps its making the time to inhale the aroma, sit back and relax.
Once you’ve found a fragrance you love you want to make it last as longer a possible right?.
There are a few tips I can share when it comes to getting the most life out of your candle – simple housekeeping that will keep your candle burning its best life until the last drop of wax.
My number one tip is to always burn your candle long enough on its first burn to melt the top layer of wax. If the candle is of a large size (ie: 30cl jars/270g - like mine), they need approx 2-3 hours. Natural wax has a burn memory, to ensure you get an even burn for the life of the candle it is essential to melt the top layer of wax when first lighting. For smaller candle containers this will be less time, but just ensure the whole of the top layer melts out to the edges.
If you need to extinguish the candle before the this time on its first lighting, you can pop the candle in an oven on a very low heat. All the wax will melt , which will create an even level again before allowing to set and relighting again.
If you are quite serious about your candles I would highly recommend you invest in a candle care kit. These kits are not too expensive (around £15-£20) and they do help you take care of your candle correctly. Having the right tools for the job makes candle housekeeping so much easier.
Firstly the snuffer will extinguish the flame properly. Blowing out a candle can not only blow hot wax everywhere but can cause billowing smoke, create soot on the inside of the container and can force the wick down into the wax. Messy!
Using scissors to trim a wick is often tricky, especially when the candle has been previously used. Scissors can also damage the end of the wick and not cut the wick cleanly. Wick trimmers are specially designed to be angled and make light work of this necessary job, The wick should be about 5mm might before lighting. If the wick is too long it can cause excess smoking, sooty deposits and a flame that's too high. If you experience any of these, extinguish your candle, allow to cool, trim the wick then relight.
After you have extinguished your candle it's important to ensure there is no debris in the molten wax and to straighten the wick ready for its next lighting. This is where the wick dipper is useful. Clear any bits from the wax and use the end of the dipper to lift the wick until it straightens.
I personally like to light my candles with long matches or a long gas lighter. Avoid using a small lighter as these can often be tricky when the candle has burned half way down- you have to tilt the containers which then either drips wax on your feet or you burn your fingers. Ouch!
I also like to keep the lid on my candle when its not being used. Obviously this protects the wax from dust (which can affect the burn of your candle) but also it helps to preserve the delicate essential oil fragrance. The lid helps stop any scent evaporating/diffusing into the air, which can happen when the candle is without a lid for a prolonged time.
Most of all however, be candle safe....
Candle Safety
Be a responsible candle lover and make sure you adhere to the safety guidelines:
Maximum time you should have your candles lit for is 4 hours, any longer and the heat can distort the wick position and create excess pressure on the glass.
NEVER leave your candle unattended, if the glass cracked and the melted wax poured out it could ignite and cause a fire.
NEVER leave candles near an open window/curtains,near a draft or a fan
NEVER leave candles where pets or children could knock them over
NEVER place a candle on top of electrical appliances or on antique
furniture or polished surfaces
And if you want to see some style tips on how to reuse your jars just pop over HERE
Happy candle lighting candle lovers
Yorumlar