Safety first. Never leave a burning candle unattended
Keep out of the reach of children & pets.
Burn only in appropriate container.
Always protect the surface the candle rests on by placing the candle on a non-flammable holder to prevent either color or fragrance from bleeding into the surface. Brass candleholders can be especially sensitive to dark candle colors bleeding into their surface.
If your candle burns unevenly due to a draft, push the wick towards the higher side. Repeat every time you relight the candle and the candle will repair itself.
Place the candle in an area free from drafts. The first time you light the candle, allow it to burn until the liquid wax covers the entire top of the candle. This breaking in process insures that it will perform better and more evenly throughout the life of the candle. For pillars, plan on burning at least 2 - 3 hours on the initial lighting. With subsequent use, the candle should remain lit for a minimum of 2 hours each time. This will insure a clean and efficient burning cycle for the life of the candle.
If a candle burns unevenly it may be in a draft. Rotate the candle 90 degrees periodically to keep burning uniform, or move to another location.
If you have an old pair of nylons that you can't use anymore, rub your candles (pillar or taper) with them and they will remove any minor scrapes or fingerprints from the candle.
Keeping your wicks trimmed to a quarter of an inch will eliminate smoke & increase burn time.
Lighting candles if someone is smoking will help eliminate the odors. It draws the smoke to the candle so the best place to put the candle is near the ashtray.
To remove wax from carpet, set your iron on low heat and get an old towel. Place the towel on the spilled wax and press down with the iron. The towel will absorb the wax. Keep repeating this using different spots on the towel until all the wax substance is out of the carpet. If a little wax remains and the iron method has gotten all it can, let remaining wax harden and brush carpet and vacuum. Then try using a liquid carpet cleaner to remove any coloring that may have remained.
Keep candles out of strong light. It will make the color fade.
Store candles in a sealed container to conserve their scent and keep dust off.
Candles refrigerated before using will burn more slowly and evenly. Wrap in foil or plastic before refrigeration to prevent wicks from absorbing moisture.
VOTIVE TIPS
Use the right size votive holder. This is very important! Alot of candleholders are beautiful and look nice when lit, however they are not made to burn the candle completely down. If the holder is too wide or the base is too big, the wax will spread and the wick is unable to burn all of it. If there is any of the candle left when it's done burning, you do not have the proper size holder.
Container candles (jar candles, votives in holders, etc...) should be burned 1 hour for each inch of diameter. This allows the wax pool to cover the entire surface, and extends the burning time.
For removing candles from their holders, mainly votives. Put the container in a sink of hot water. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then hold it upside down and it should pop right out.
Any broken pieces of wick or debris should be removed from the wax pool.
Keep votive wicks centered and trimmed to 1/4" while burning to prevent breaking the glass.
Votive candles MUST be in a container. They are made of a low melt wax. The tighter the fit the
longer the candle will burn.
PILLAR CANDLE TIPS
Always place a column candle on a heat resistant holder. You should have at least one inch clearance all the way around, from the side of the candle to the edge of the holder. This will help catch any dripping that may occur.
Each time you light a pillar candle, burn it long enough to create a pool of wax across most of the diameter of the candle. The candle will last longer and burn more evenly. If a pool is not formed, a "tunneling" effect down the candle will result and only a small portion of the wax will burn. If a wick becomes too short to light, carve away enough wax to expose the fresh wick and burn the candle to reform its appearance.
Any broken pieces of wick or debris should be removed from the wax pool.
Some column holders have a spike in the center. If you are not careful you can split your candle trying to force it onto the spike. Heat up the spike (a hair dryer works good) and gently press the candle onto it. The spike should be hot enough to melt the wax. You may need to repeat the process until the candle sits firmly on the surface of the holder.
JAR CANDLE TIPS
Container candles (jar candles, votives in holders, etc...) should be burned 1 hour for each inch of diameter. This allows the wax pool to cover the entire surface, and extends the burning time.
Always replace lid after use to help retain scent.
Any broken pieces of wick or debris should be removed from the wax pool.
EXTINGUISHING
To extinguish a candle, dip the wick back into the liquid wax, using a nonflammable instrument or
the plain end of a match. This little known technique eliminates smoking of an extinguished wick and primes the wick with wax, making re-lighting easier
When blowing out a candle, hold your finger in front of the flame and blow at it. The air will flow around the finger and extinguish the candle from both sides. This will prevent hot wax from spattering.
Once you have extinguished the flame from a votive candle, center wick before wax solidifies to prevent flame from getting close to the edge and cracking the glass votive container. You will have less broken or cracked votive holders.
LEFTOVER WAX
When you end up with little candle leftovers, (same or different scents/colors) simply re-melt it in a double boiler and pour it in a regular votive glass with a wick (brought at a craft store) and let it cool and there you have another candle.
Another great use for extra wax: Pop the left over wax out of the jar or votive holder and place them in a
tart burner. Light a tea light candle underneath it and it releases a nice scent for many hours.
