We’ve all had candles in our houses or offices before that smelled heavenly and became a cherished favorite. However, not many people can say they've actively cared for their candles. In fact, most people don’t realize that to get the most out of their candles, there’s some maintenance that’s required. It’s not difficult but it’s vital if you want to experience the most your candles have to offer.

The Southern Elegance Candle Care Kit makes caring for your candles easy and enjoyable. It comes with four black stainless steel items: a wick trimmer, a wick dipper, a candle snuffer, and a tray for your tools.

General Safety

The biggest part of being a candle owner is practicing proper safety procedures! It’s a matter of life and death for you and your loved ones. This means never leaving a candle unattended, keeping it out of the reach of children and pets, and keeping it away from flammable objects or debris. Placing a candle on a heat safe surface will prevent unnecessary damage to your belongings. Be sure to keep your candle away from drafts to prevent flickering and smoking (this can also shorten the life of your candle if you treat it as a wick issue instead of a draft issue). A candle is only as enjoyable as it is safe. 

Wick Care

Trimming your wick is essential to proper candle care and owning a wick trimmer makes your job a million times easier! Before each lighting, be sure to trim your wick about ¼”. This keeps the wick tidy and prevents what is called “mushrooming.” We’ve all seen it before-- the ugly frayed wick that burns too hot and sheds black soot. Wick trimming is the first step in preventing the dirty appearance of a beautiful candle.

As you use up more and more of your candle, you may be hesitant to cut the wick as they often fall into the bottom of the candle. Fear not! Simply flip the candle upside down during the cutting process to save some time. 

If your candle begins smoking and it isn’t being caused by a draft, extinguish the flame and trim up the wick. Remove any trimmings before lighting your candle again. 

Cleaning and Maintaining

If your candle begins to look smudged with fingerprints and dust, use a damp cloth to gently wipe it all away. 

Burn Time

As tempting as it is to keep a candle burning for hours on end, it’s best not to burn them for more than a few hours at a time. Always allow the wax to completely cool before relighting your candle.

You may be used to putting out a candle by placing the lid back on the container but that’s not a great long-term option. It damages the lid and overtime, the accumulation of smoke trapped inside the container will cause discoloration of your wax and may alter the scent. To properly put out your candle, use a wick dipper to gently dip the wick into the pool of melted wax. This safely extinguishes your flame and prevents making a mess or dislodging debris. 

If that isn’t your style, use the traditional candle snuffer to put a candle out!

Reaching the End of a Candle

So you’ve almost finished your candle! Congratulations! Now what? As natural as it may seem to keep burning your candle until the very end, it’s actually hazardous to do so. Keep roughly ½” left at the bottom of your candle to prevent the container from overheating. Once you’ve reached this point, pat yourself on the back, mourn the loss of such a wonderful candle, and then purchase a new one! We all miss our favorites but this is a chance to try a new scent or you could always return to your fave.

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Storage

Store your candles in a cool, dry place and remember to recover them to prevent them from accumulating any dust and debris.

Caring for your candles only takes a little time out of your day but it makes all the difference! Be sure to share this advice with all of your candle owning friends and family to maximize their enjoyment and safety.