Well, no actually. To get the most out of your candle there are some simple rules that need to be followed.

Wick Trimming

Something that is often unknown to candle owners is that after every burn you’re supposed to trim your wick. This can be done with scissors, nail trimmers or if you want to be fancy you could use a metal candle wick trimmer (these can be found online). When you buy your candle, it should already be trimmed for you. After you’ve burnt your candle, it is important to wait until the candle is cool and the wax is solid before you trim the wick. I would recommend cutting the wick just before every burn to help you remember. The wick should be trimmed to about 6 mm above the wax (this is roughly the width of a standard pencil). All this will prevent your candle from smoking, keep your candles flame at a safe height and help prevent loud crackling or banging in the candle flame.

How long should I melt my candle?

It’s important to keep your candle lit until the whole top layer has melted. This can sometimes take 1-2 hours but if you don’t your candle will begin to tunnel. Tunnelling is when the candle wax in the centre, around the wick, melts to the bottom of the candle but the wax around the edge remains. This means you won’t get as much burn time from your candle. Just think of all the lovely, scented wax being wasted! This does mean that you need to plan your candle lighting carefully to ensure you have time to wait for the melt pool to reach the edges.

If your candle is already tunnelling, there are things you can do to fix it. By using some tin foil, you can gently and carefully wrap the foil around the sides of the candle, leaving a gap at the top. Light your candle and leave for around 1-2 hours, checking regularly. When the candle surface is full melted, all the way to the edges, you’re done.

As for the maximum time you should burn for, this does depend on the candle. Our candles maximum is 4 hours, which is pretty standard for most candles. Some bigger candles could be up to 6 hours. However, I would say if you’re unsure just stick to the 4-hour rule.

Also try to keep your candle away from any drafts as this can cause an uneven burn. This could be an open window, a fan, air conditioning and so on.

Should you blow out your candle?

As a kid, blowing out my mum's candles (under supervision) was one of my favourite things to do, which is why I was so surprised to find out that you’re not supposed to! Blowing out your candle can cause soot from your wick to land in your melted candle wax and make your candle look dirty. The best ways to diffuse a candle are:

Put the lid back on (as long as it is safe to do so!). This will stop oxygen getting to the flame which will extinguish the flame after a few seconds. Please be aware that metal lids may get hot so take care.

Use a long, non-flammable object to push the wick into the melted wax until the flame is out. Make sure to pull the wick back up to its originally position ready for next time though!

Use a candle snuffer. This would require purchasing a candle snuffer if you don’t already have one, but in my opinion, it is the most satisfying way. Just as good as blowing the candle out and doesn’t mean you need to put your face or hair near the candle so even better!

Relighting your candle

When you are about to relight your candle, make sure that it is completely cool, you have trimmed your wick and you are following candle safety rules (such as ensure the candle is placed in a safe place). There should be candle safety instructions or images on the base of your candle but if you are unsure there is more information on candle safety on The Kentish Soap Co Journal at How to be a better candle owner (kentishsoap.com)

We hope this helps you be a better candle owner. Your candles will thank us for it. And don't forget to check The Kentish Soap Co’s natural, eco soy wax candle range at: