Candles, wicked candles, have been used since the beginning of time.  There is something about a flame that calms us, draws couples together, and draws people in celebration and helps complete an ambiance like nothing else.  With the use of candles, come responsibility.  Here are 5 tips to stay safe and get the best bang for your buck with your favorite candles.

#1 Trim your wicks – without trimming wicks, you not only have unnecessary length of a wick  that is a fire hazard but come across performance issues with the wax and the oils in the wax.  Your candles also burn faster and that means less use and enjoyment of your candles’ scents.   ½ inch is the federal guideline but 1/8 of an inch is Tammy’s suggested length of wick for peak performance.

#2 Avoid drafts – also a performance and safety issue.  Dancing wicks wastes candles and flame may jump out and land outside it’s container.  Is the flame still and in a tear-drop shape? If not, there is a draft.  Simply extinguish the candle and move to a different spot and repeat the observation.

#3 Use a wick dipper.  The best way to end a candle is not by the smoke that comes out of the wick after blowing it out. How does one avoid that smell of smoke or carbon released in the air?  Simply, use a wick dipper and dip the wick in the pool of wax to extinguish the flame.  Simply pull up the wick above the wax ready for its next use.  This is the closest to a “soot-free” candle as there is no candle smoke or carbon released in the air (btw, there is no such things as a soot-free candle – it simply does not exist).

#4 Avoid marathon burning.  Do not burn candles for more than 3 hours at a time as longer times can liquify the whole candle and wick may move off center or even lay down, leading the wick to be a danger to its surroundings.

#5 Do not burn the candle dry all the way to the bottom. Wicked candles should be considered done or finished (and should be disposed of) when  it is ½” to the very bottom of jar. Again, this is a safety issue.  Burning with wax less than 1/2″ may cause a combustion in the jar.  Want to be green and reuse the jars?  Find ways to melt the remaining wax, pour out the melted wax, and wipe clean.  One way to do this is by the use of a hot plate warmer such as the Ciara Warmer.

I hope you have found these safety and candle performance tips useful.  You can enjoy a candle without fear simply by using a little bit of caution. Candles are here to stay and candles will never go out of style, so share the love and these tips to anyone who may use a candle at some point in their life – practically everyone =)

These tips were given by Tammy Knibbs, the creator of Eclipse Candle Company candles on July 11, 2012.  These tips can be applied to any candles with wicks.  If you are interested in learning more about Tammy’s personal candle creations, please view my company’s shopping site at http://eclipsecandleco.com/ihearteclipse.

Enjoy your candles and be safe!