Candle Care 101: How to Get the Most Out of Your Candle (Without Burning Your House Down)
So, you’ve got yourself a lovely new candle—congratulations! Whether it’s a gift, a treat-yourself moment, or an impulse buy (we’ve all been there), you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the best scent, longest burn time, and, most importantly, not setting off your smoke alarm.
Follow these simple tips, and your candle will reward you with hours of cozy, fragrant bliss.
Step 1: Patience, Young Grasshopper
Resist the urge to light your candle the second it arrives. If it’s from a small business, chances are it was made to order and needs time to cure properly. Scented candles take around 14 days to reach their full scent potential. Light it too soon, and you might get a weak throw (which is just a fancy way of saying it won’t smell as strong as it should).
Step 2: Trim That Wick, Always
Before every burn, trim your wick to about ¼ inch. Why? Because a long wick leads to:
✔️ A bigger, flickering flame that burns too hot
✔️ Excess soot (black marks on your jar? No, thanks!)
✔️ Uneven burning and wasted wax
A wick trimmer is ideal, but scissors or even nail clippers work in a pinch. Just don’t go in blind and cut it too short—you’ll end up struggling to keep it lit.
Step 3: First Burn = Most Important Burn
The first time you light your candle, let it burn long enough for the melted wax to reach the edges of the jar. This prevents tunneling, which is when the wax burns straight down the middle, leaving wasted wax on the sides. And wasted wax means wasted money. We don’t want that.
Step 4: Know When to Call It a Night
Never burn your candle for more than four hours at a time. Why? Because after a while, the wax and fragrance can overheat, affecting the quality of the scent and potentially making the jar too hot to handle. Plus, your wick might start forming a mushroom shape, which makes the flame too big and smoky. Nobody wants a candle that doubles as a mini bonfire.
Step 5: Don’t Play Hot Potato with Your Candle
Candles get hot. Like, really hot. Never try to move a burning candle or hold the jar after it’s been lit for a while. Glass and metal can retain heat, and grabbing a hot candle is a one-way ticket to a burnt hand (or worse, spilled wax everywhere).
If you need to move your candle, wait until the wax has fully solidified and the jar has cooled down. Trying to shift a lit candle is a disaster waiting to happen—wax can slosh, the flame can flicker dangerously, and suddenly your relaxing evening turns into a cleanup mission.
Step 6: Supervise Your Flame Like a Responsible Adult
Candles are cozy and beautiful, but they’re still fire. Keep them:
❌ Away from pets (because cats and tails are a dangerous mix)
❌ Out of reach of children (sticky fingers + fire = bad idea)
❌ Away from anything flammable (curtains, books, that stack of unopened mail you’ve been ignoring)
✔️ On a heat-resistant surface
And never leave a candle burning in an enclosed space—because that’s how mystery novels start.
Step 7: Snuff, Don’t Huff
Blowing out a candle seems like the obvious choice, but it can send hot wax flying or create a smoky mess. Instead, use a snuffer (yes, they exist) or, if you don’t have one, just press the wick down gently with a spoon and lift it back up. It works like magic.
Now go forth and burn your candles the right way! Your nose (and your wallet) will thank you.
Love Always
Luna Moon x