Regardless of whether you are making candles for personal use, gifts, or to earn extra income; candles are flammable. You always want to make sure that you have taken all the right measures to ensure the safest candle possible. Not only is candle safety important to the crafter, but it is also just as important to the person that burns the candle.
Here are some great tips for burning candles, the best way to extinguish a candle, and what to do if your candle wax is on fire.
Candle Burning and Maintenance:
Always before lighting your candle; trim the wick! You never want your wick to be longer than ¼ inch. Also, when lighting your candle, do not throw the wick trimming into the candle. You want to keep your candle free of any and all debris such as: dust, wick trimmings, matches, ect. You want your candle pool to be scented wax only.
Keep your wick straight. Once your wick has been trimmed, you will want to pull it straight. If your wick is bent, your wick will burn hotter than regular. This will result in a quicker burn time of your candle.
When it is time to extinguish your candle, always use a snuffer. A candle snuffer is the easiest and safest way to put out a flame. Using a snuffer will prevent hot wax splatter. Candle wax is hot, you never want to touch it, or get wax splatter on you or surfaces in your home.
Never put a candle flame out with water. Water can cause the hot wax in your candles to splatter. There is also a chance that the glass container of your candle may also break.
If after lighting your candle, you notice the wick flickering, smoking, or the flame of your candle becomes too large; the candle is not functioning properly. Extinguish the flame, let the candle cool, trim your wick to ¼ inch, check the rooms for drafts, and then re-light.
After a candle has been burned to the point where there is only 1/2 inch of wax left in the bottom of the container, stop burning. The candle is now finished. Never burn a candle all the way down.
For Candle Making Purposes:
For your candle making area, it is wise to purchase a dry chemical fire extinguisher in case of any fires. If you do have a wax fire, the dry chemical extinguisher or baking soda should be used to suffocate the flames. Never use water to put out a wax fire.