What a wonderful vibe a candle can give off to a room, am I right? That is unless your candle starts to burn in an uneven manner and now your lovely table is full of wax. In this article, we will teach you how to fix a candle that melted sideways.
If you’re having this issue with your candles, you’ll need to figure out why it’s occurring so you can fix your candle. Candles burn unevenly because of a steady breath of air driving the flame in one direction. A wick that is too far to one side, and an untrimmed wick that generates a lopsided flame.
Causes and How To Fix A Candle That Melted Sideways
Once lighted, candles are extremely fragile. Most people believe that lighting a candle and letting it burn is all that is required. Candles, once lighted, will require some attention if you want a clean burn with no wasted wax.
Let’s look at some of the most prevalent causes of uneven candle burning. If you expose your candle to a draft, air conditioning, or a fan, the flame will flicker and the wax will become uneven. The side of the wax that receives the greatest heat from the flame will burn faster than the side that is disturbed by air currents.
The initial burn of a candle, according to the National Candle Association, defines whether it will burn unevenly during its lifetime. If your candle is 2 inches in diameter, let it burn for at least 2 hours before extinguishing the flame. This causes the wax to melt evenly around the whole perimeter.
What if the flame does not burn for the specified period? The candle will burn unevenly for the rest of its life, resulting in wasted wax. That being said, there are solutions, which I’ll address in another article.
A wick that is not centered is another major reason that causes candles to burn unevenly. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the candle will burn wherever the wick is placed. If the wick begins in the middle of the candle but changes to the left farther down, the candle will burn in that direction.
As a result, the left side of the wax will burn longer than the right. Unless you choose a transparent candle, there’s no way to know if your wick is properly positioned. As previously said, there is a solution for all of these issues, so keep reading.
Finally, the third cause we’ll look at is both straightforward and readily neglected. Here’s the reason why your candles burn unevenly if your wicks are uneven. Excess liquid wax on an untrimmed wick will give it a mushroom-like appearance.
The flame gets muted as a result of this. An untrimmed wick will also be overly long because the candle’s flame melts the wax nearest to the wick. Worse, the extra dirt on the untrimmed wick may cause unburned carbon particles or soot to collect around your candle container.
As the flame begins to flare up wildly, this creates a fire danger. If you have to leave the house in less than three hours, don’t light a candle. The initial burn is the most critical.
How To Fix A Candle That Melted Sideways
Knowing how to fix a candle that melted sideways is not that complicated. We looked at the reasons, and now it’s time to go into the specifics. To get the brightest and cleanest burn, trim your wick. Trimming should be done every 4 hours of burn time and should be done to a 14-inch length.
If you’re a candle collector or want to take care of your candles properly, you might consider purchasing a wick trimmer. If the tunneling is bad enough that cutting the wick isn’t enough, there are a few more options you may try. Aluminum foil is an excellent heat conductor.
To utilize this approach, just wrap a piece of aluminum foil over the edge of your candle container. Make sure it covers the accumulation while yet leaving enough space for the candle to burn properly. Remember that oxygen fuels the flames, so don’t get too near with the foil.
Allow the candle to burn for at least 2 hours to allow the surface to smooth out. The candles can also be baked in the oven. Remove any labels from the container and preheat your oven to 175° F.
The wax accumulation will melt and be equally dispersed in only five minutes. Remove any excess wax that has accumulated on the wick before placing the containers on a cooling rack. Because it necessitates close monitoring, this method is not often used for melting candles.
It is, however, faster than using aluminum foil, so you should give it a shot. Heating candles in the oven is dangerous; the container may break, requiring you to scrape hot wax and glass from your oven. Consider if the risk is worthwhile.
A candle snuffer, in addition to a wick trimmer, is particularly useful for extinguishing a candle flame. It will prevent the spatter of hot wax that occurs when you blow out a candle.
How Do You Keep Candles From Burning Inequitably?
As a result, we’ve concluded that tunneling is not only unsightly but also difficult to repair. Here are some tips for keeping your candles from burning unevenly. Candles should be kept away from heavy traffic areas, drafts, and open windows.
it helps to maintain the flame’s teardrop form and facilitates even melting of the wax. It reduces the production of soot and the mushrooming of the wick. Buy multi-wick candles.
These will burn brightly and evenly, so you won’t have to worry about uneven burning. The most efficient candles have three wicks. They will, without a question, burn faster, but they will also burn evenly throughout their lifetime.
Candles should not be burned for longer than 4 hours. Candles do overheat. If the wax surrounding the center softens, the wick will not be able to stay in place.
Conclusion on How on Fix a Candle That Melted Sideways
Here is an in-depth analysis of why and how to fix a candle that melted sideways. It may be such a hassle if your tablecloth gets wax on it because of the uneven way your candle burns. Follow this guide and you are good to go!