Imagine sitting down on a recliner, reading a good book, and then enjoying the aroma of lavender in your room. What a dream that must be, right? However, scented candles can be expensive, so how to make a candle last longer?
Instead of spending too much money on candles, you can save more if you know how to make a candle last longer. Today, we will carefully assess such queries regarding the lifespan of a candle and what to do to lengthen it. But, before that, let us first get to know the basics.
There is a proper technique to light a candle. And there are methods for making them last longer. However, an essential rule of candle enjoyment is never to leave a lit candle alone; that is fundamental safety.
Ways on How To Make A Candle Last Longer
Don’t just light a new candle for a few minutes.
Allow a container candle to develop a whole pool of melted wax across the surface of its container, from rim to rim. So do the first time you burn it. It is because wax has a memory.
Furthermore, future lightings will struggle to expand beyond the first burn’s circumference. The candle would most probably tunnel down into the wax from then on. The wick will sink further into the candle, and the wax on the sides will never burn, shortening the candle’s life.
Keep your wicks trimmed.
A well-trimmed wick will provide a brilliant flame. A crooked or lengthy wick can cause uneven burning, leading to bursts of intense flames or smoke. Wicks should be about one-fourth-inch tall for optimal burning; don’t cut them any lower.
Wait until the candle has completely cooled before turning it upside down. Then, remove the burned section with a tissue, and your wick will be ready to light. The wick is also an essential part of your candle that you must maintain to lengthen your candle’s lifespan.
Keep a safe distance from heat sources.
Whether or not your candles are lit, be aware that the wax may and will melt in high temperatures. Therefore, avoid storing candles near other heat sources, such as kitchen stoves, fireplace mantels, or attics. Instead, you should keep candles inside and away from direct sunlight.
After each use, use a damp cotton pad and warm soapy water. It will clean the wick’s central wax pool of any soot or burned debris. Finally, close the lid to keep dust from gathering on the surface and lay it aside to cool until it’s safe to relight.
Keep burning candles away from vents, fans, and drafts.
Air currents can cause candles to burn unevenly or create too much smoke or soot, leaving ugly black spots on your container. In addition, small quantities of unburned carbon particles can escape if a wick grows too long. It is also the case if an air current disrupts the teardrop form of the flame.
Keep any debris out of the wax pool.
Don’t contaminate the candle pool with cut-off or burned wicks or used matches. The presence of debris in the wax will disrupt the chemistry of the candle and may cause it to burn unevenly. In addition, it might block the wick and prevent it from drawing up and dispersing the fragrance oil.
Add a pinch of salt to the wax.
If you want to extend the life of your favorite candle, add a sprinkle of salt to the melted wax. Do this after you’ve blown it out, and then mix it up with a toothpick or chopsticks. Then, when you fire it up again, the salt will slow down the burn time.
Allow a candle to cool fully before relighting it.
It takes roughly two hours for a candle in a container to cool down completely. Trimming the wick after the wax pool has solidified is considerably safer. If you dive into a hot puddle of melted wax before it has cooled and hardened, you risk burning your fingertips.
Is freezing your candles in the fridge to prolong lifespan a myth?
The assumption is that putting your candle in the fridge or freezer will extend its burning time. However, this may not be the situation. A candle is nothing more than a well-managed fire.
The wax is intended to burn at a specified temperature. The wick is chosen to burn the wax at the optimal ratio. So, what could go wrong?
- If you place the candle in the freezer, it will most likely crack.
- If the candle is scented, the aroma may migrate to the edges and top rather than being equally dispersed throughout the wax.
So, now that you’ve taken the risk of breaking and losing the aroma, and you don’t mind, is it still worth a shot? Unfortunately, no. Candles, in general, burn slowly.
The only part of the candle that matters is closest to the wick burning at the top. When the wax around the wick is lighted, it quickly returns to average room temperature. As the candle burns down, the portion of wax being burned will have warmed up to its initial temperature eons ago.
The heat from the flame just takes a few seconds to thaw your frozen candle to room temperature. So the few extra minutes of burn duration you could get by placing a candle in the fridge isn’t much. Plus, it is not worth the effort.
So it’s time to get back to fundamentals! If you love and care for your candles, they will last longer. So trim their wicks, keep them out of drafts, extinguish them properly, and burn them for the appropriate time.
Conclusion
So, how to make a candle last longer? Here are seven different ways for you to try in your home. If you now know how to make a candle last longer, you can enjoy your favorite candle for a long time as usual.