Few things are as captivating as the soft light and glow of a candle. But you should pay attention to burning a candle properly and safely. You can generally tell if a candle is burning properly just by looking at it:
This means that the burning process is in balance. The wick is efficiently pulling up the right amount of wax, which is then being burned by the flame to produce water vapor and carbon dioxide.
Constant flickering and smoking occur when the teardrop shape of the flame is disturbed. This allows small amounts of unburned carbon particles (soot) to escape from the flame as a visible wisp of smoke. If too much (or too little) air reaches the candle flame, it will disturb the combustion, causing it to soot. To avoid this, always burn your candles in a well-ventilated room, away from drafts, vents or strong air currents.
A too long wick can cause a candle flame to grow too long and flare. That’s why it is so important to trim the wick to the appropriate length before every use. You will find the manufacturer´s recommended wick length on the label, most commonly 1 cm. Always keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and other debris that could catch fire from the flame. If you like to group your candles, make sure they are far enough apart when burning. This minimum distance can be found on the label, most manufacturers require 10 cm. Candles placed too closely together can create their own draft and cause the candles to flare.
Remember, a lighted candle is an open flame. Be careful. Always follow the basic rules of using candles safely.
If you love candles, but don’t like when the candle doesn’t burn all the wax, you might look for a way to make the wax burn completely. Here’s what you should do about leftover wax on the side of the jar.