Candle Burning Tips for Safety
National fire safety agencies report that the bulk of candle fire incidents in the United States are due to consumer inattention to basic fire safety or to the misuse of candles. The National Candle Association recommends the following safety tips when burning candles:
* Always keep a burning candle with sight. Extinguish all candles when leave a room or before going to sleep.
* Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc.
* Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets; do not place lighted candles where they can be knocked over by children, pets or anyone else.
* Read and carefully follow all manufacturer instructions.
* Trim candlewicks to 1/4 inch each time before burning. This keeps the flame low which helps prevent sooting and makes the candle burn longer. The flame melts the wax which is the fuel to keep the flame going. The smaller the flame, the less fuel it takes to burn, therefore the candle will last longer.
* Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use. The holder should be heat resistant, sturdy and large enough to contain any drips or melted wax. Be sure the candleholder is placed on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
* Keep burning candles away from drafts, vents and air currents. This will help prevent rapid, uneven burning, smoking and excessive dripping. Drafts can also blow lightweight curtains or papers into the flame where they could catch fire. Ceiling fans can cause drafts.
* Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.
* Do not burn a candle for longer than the manufacturer recommends.
* Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room.
* Extinguish the flame if it comes too close to the holder or container. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 2 inches of wax remains (1/2 inch if in a container). This will also help prevent possible heat damage to the counter/surface and prevent glass containers from cracking or breaking.
* Never touch or move a votive or container candle when the wax is liquid.
* If you burn votives, always remove the metal clip that is left at the bottom when the candle is finished. Do not stack another votive on top of the wick clip. This will cause the votive candle to burn unevenly and the flame will get too close to the sides and crack the holder.
* Extinguish pillar candles if the wax pool approaches the outer edge.
* Candles should be placed at least three inches apart from one another. This is to be sure they don't melt one another, or create their own drafts that will cause the candles to burn improperly.
* One of the safest ways to extinguish a candle is to use a candle snuffer, which helps prevent hot wax from spattering. Do not extinguish candles with water. The water can cause the hot wax to spatter and can cause glass containers to break.
* Flashlights and other battery-powered lights are much safer light sources than candles during a power failure.
* Never use a candle as light when you go into a closet to look for things.
* Never use a candle for light when fueling equipment such as a lantern or kerosene heater.
* Candles will fade if left in the light for an extended period of time. Never put candles in a window or directly expose to bright outdoor light or indoor spotlights.
* Floating candles can provide both a formal and informal setting for either a dinner party or a back yard picnic. Floating candles in a clear bowl creates an extra special lighting effect. Use distilled water to eliminate the mineral buildup on the sides of the crystal or glass to preserve its unique presentation of floating candles.
* Let spilled wax solidify so when it hardens it can be removed in pieces by covering with a paper towel or brown paper grocery bag and gently press down with a warm iron. The wax will melt and be absorbed into the paper.
To learn more, visit joyouscandle.com.
* Always keep a burning candle with sight. Extinguish all candles when leave a room or before going to sleep.
* Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc.
* Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets; do not place lighted candles where they can be knocked over by children, pets or anyone else.
* Read and carefully follow all manufacturer instructions.
* Trim candlewicks to 1/4 inch each time before burning. This keeps the flame low which helps prevent sooting and makes the candle burn longer. The flame melts the wax which is the fuel to keep the flame going. The smaller the flame, the less fuel it takes to burn, therefore the candle will last longer.
* Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use. The holder should be heat resistant, sturdy and large enough to contain any drips or melted wax. Be sure the candleholder is placed on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
* Keep burning candles away from drafts, vents and air currents. This will help prevent rapid, uneven burning, smoking and excessive dripping. Drafts can also blow lightweight curtains or papers into the flame where they could catch fire. Ceiling fans can cause drafts.
* Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.
* Do not burn a candle for longer than the manufacturer recommends.
* Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room.
* Extinguish the flame if it comes too close to the holder or container. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 2 inches of wax remains (1/2 inch if in a container). This will also help prevent possible heat damage to the counter/surface and prevent glass containers from cracking or breaking.
* Never touch or move a votive or container candle when the wax is liquid.
* If you burn votives, always remove the metal clip that is left at the bottom when the candle is finished. Do not stack another votive on top of the wick clip. This will cause the votive candle to burn unevenly and the flame will get too close to the sides and crack the holder.
* Extinguish pillar candles if the wax pool approaches the outer edge.
* Candles should be placed at least three inches apart from one another. This is to be sure they don't melt one another, or create their own drafts that will cause the candles to burn improperly.
* One of the safest ways to extinguish a candle is to use a candle snuffer, which helps prevent hot wax from spattering. Do not extinguish candles with water. The water can cause the hot wax to spatter and can cause glass containers to break.
* Flashlights and other battery-powered lights are much safer light sources than candles during a power failure.
* Never use a candle as light when you go into a closet to look for things.
* Never use a candle for light when fueling equipment such as a lantern or kerosene heater.
* Candles will fade if left in the light for an extended period of time. Never put candles in a window or directly expose to bright outdoor light or indoor spotlights.
* Floating candles can provide both a formal and informal setting for either a dinner party or a back yard picnic. Floating candles in a clear bowl creates an extra special lighting effect. Use distilled water to eliminate the mineral buildup on the sides of the crystal or glass to preserve its unique presentation of floating candles.
* Let spilled wax solidify so when it hardens it can be removed in pieces by covering with a paper towel or brown paper grocery bag and gently press down with a warm iron. The wax will melt and be absorbed into the paper.
To learn more, visit joyouscandle.com.
List of Links
- Joyous Candle
- Find Candles at this website.
