Candle Safety 101: Essential Rules for Clean, Safe Burning

Following simple safety rules ensures your personalised candles burn cleanly, last longer, and most importantly, keep your home safe.

Before Lighting: Preparation and Placement

These steps are critical for a smoke-free, clean burn.

Trim the Wick Every Time: Always trim the wick of any candle (pillar, taper, canister) to one-quarter inch (6mm) before lighting. This prevents smoking and maintains a clean burn. Be sure to remove any debris that has fallen into the wax.
Check the Surface: Always place your candles on sturdy, non-flammable holders that are appropriate for the candle size. This prevents the hot wax or fragrance oil from damaging the surface it is placed upon.
Remove Packaging: Remember to remove any labels or packaging from your candles before you light them.
Avoid Walls and Windows: Do not place a candle adjacent to a wall or window, as this can cause soot to form on nearby surfaces.

Safety is always the number one priority when a candle is lit.

Never Leave Unattended: Never leave a burning candle unattended.
Keep Away from Hazards: Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.
Avoid Drafts: Always light candles in draft-free areas to prevent dripping and smoking. If a draft cannot be avoided, turn the candle 180 degrees every hour.
Ensure Oxygen: Candles need oxygen. If you burn a candle in a small, confined area, it will smoke. Consider the size of the room when arranging your candles.
Stop the Smoking: If your candle is smoking after trimming the wick to one-quarter inch, extinguish it immediately. Pinch or trim the wick a tiny bit more, and the smoking will stop.

Properly putting out and storing your candles extends their life and maintains their quality.

The Best Method: The most effective way to extinguish the flame is to use a candle snuffer. The snuffer helps keep the wick centred and prevents the hot wax from spraying.
The Finger Method (No Snuffer): If you do not have a snuffer, we recommend gently blowing the flame out by holding your finger close to the wick. This redirects the airflow around your finger to gently extinguish the flame without disturbing the pool of hot wax.
Know When to Stop: Never burn a candle completely. Dispose of it when it burns to within one inch (25mm) of the base or holder.
Storage: To guard your candles against fading, avoid placing them in direct sunlight. Store your candles in a dry, cool, dark place.