How to Care for Your Candle

What Causes Candle Soot?

 

Candle soot is caused by incomplete combustion of the carbon in the wax with the oxygen in the air. Normally, this chemical reaction creates carbon dioxide and water vapor in the form of steam. However, when this chemical reaction is altered, incomplete, or imbalanced, any unburned carbon atoms will be carried within the steam, as the water vapor (steam) rises, which appears as black smoke, known as soot. This could occur when the wick gets clogged or when there is an uneven distribution of the wax to the wick and flame.

Tips on how to help your Candles from creating Soot

1. Keep wicks trimmed. Wicks should be kept to no longer than ¼ inch. Before you light the candle, check the wick and trim, EVERY TIME! You could trim the wick as short as 1/8 inch, if necessary.

2. Burning a candle for too long will cause carbon to collect on the wick, leading it to “mushroom.” The wick will then become unstable and produce a dangerously large flame, which will in turn cause your candle to smoke and release soot. Get in the habit of trimming wicks to ¼ inch to reduce the release of soot. Make sure your candle burns low and even for a cleaner burn.

3. Use a snuffer to extinguish the flame, which will reduce the emission of black smoke. Open windows regularly to ventilate your home and avoid a mold or soot problem.

4. Keep an eye out for mushrooming. If you notice your wick is starting to mushroom, extinguish the flame, and trim the wick. Once you have gotten rid of the black ball on the end, you can re-light your candle.

5. Keep your melt pool clean. There should be no dirt or debris in the wax pool, which could be picked up by the flame.

6. Keep candles away from drafts, such as open windows and air vents. You want to keep the flame as stable as possible. Also, avoid having people walk or run by the candle, which will disturb the airflow and cause the flame to flicker.

7. Avoid moving the candle, which will disturb the flame. Once you light the candle, leave it be! If you want to move the candle, blow out the flame and then move it. Otherwise, position the candle where you want it first, BEFORE you light it!
Don’t just mask your odors, eliminate them! Thank you for supporting local businesses!

If you have any additional questions please contact us here.

Shopping Cart