Candle Care 101: How to Make Your Candles Last Longer

At Wickalicious Waxes, we pour our heart and soul into crafting premium candles that fill your space with captivating scents and cozy ambiance. To help you get the most out of your candle investment, we've created this essential guide to proper candle care. Follow these simple tips to extend the life of your Wickalicious candles and enjoy a clean, even burn every time.

The First Burn: Setting Your Candle Up for Success

The first time you light your candle sets the stage for all future burns. This crucial initial burn can determine whether your candle will tunnel (burn down the middle only) or burn evenly throughout its life.

The Golden Rule: Allow your candle to burn until the melted wax reaches the edges of the container, creating a complete "melt pool" across the surface. Depending on the size of your Wickalicious candle, this could take anywhere from 2-4 hours.

Why is this so important? Candle wax has "memory," meaning if your first burn doesn't reach the edges, your candle will likely continue to burn in that same smaller diameter, creating a tunnel down the center and leaving wax stuck to the sides of the jar. This wastes precious scented wax and shortens your candle's lifespan.

The Art of Wick Trimming

One of the most overlooked aspects of candle care is proper wick maintenance. Before each burn, trim your wick to approximately ¼ inch.

Benefits of proper wick trimming:

• Prevents mushrooming (when the wick develops a carbon buildup at the tip)
• Reduces sooting and smoke
• Creates a controlled, stable flame
• Prevents the flame from becoming too large
• Extends your candle's burn time

Pro tip: While regular scissors work in a pinch, investing in a wick trimmer makes this task much easier and more precise. Our Wickalicious wick trimmers are available in our accessories section!

Preventing Tunneling: The Candle Lover's Nemesis

If you've noticed your candle burning straight down the middle while leaving wax along the edges, you're experiencing tunneling. Here's how to prevent it:

1. Follow the first burn rule mentioned above
2. Never burn candles for less than 1 hour (too short burns encourage tunneling)
3. Never burn candles for more than 4 hours (overheating can damage the container and waste wax)
4. Keep candles away from drafts which can cause uneven burning
5. If tunneling has already started, you can fix minor tunneling by wrapping aluminum foil around the top edge of your candle (leaving a hole for the flame), which helps redistribute heat to melt the wax edges

Burn Duration: Finding the Sweet Spot

How long should you burn your Wickalicious candle each session? Follow these guidelines for optimal performance:

• Minimum burn time: 1-2 hours (allows proper melt pool formation)
• Maximum burn time: 4 hours (prevents overheating and extends candle life)
• Cool down period: Allow your candle to cool completely before relighting
• Total burn time: Our standard 8oz candles provide approximately 40-50 hours of burn time when cared for properly

Storage Tips to Preserve Scent Integrity

When not in use, proper storage helps maintain the quality and fragrance of your Wickalicious candles:

1. Keep the lid on when not burning to prevent dust collection and scent evaporation
2. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, which can fade colors and degrade scents
3. Avoid extreme temperatures that can cause wax to melt or crack
4. Keep away from other strong scents that might contaminate your candle's fragrance profile

Safety First: Enjoying Your Candles Responsibly

While we love the cozy atmosphere candles create, safety should always be your top priority:

• Never leave burning candles unattended
• Keep away from children and pets
• Place on heat-resistant surfaces away from flammable materials
• Maintain at least 3 inches between burning candles
• Stop using when ½ inch of wax remains at the bottom of the container
• Extinguish properly using a candle snuffer rather than blowing (prevents wax splatter and smoke)

Signs It's Time to Retire Your Candle

Even with proper care, all candles eventually reach the end of their lifespan. Look for these signs that it's time to say goodbye:

• Wax level is less than ½ inch from the bottom
• Wick is no longer centered or has become unstable
• Container shows signs of heat stress or cracking
• Fragrance has significantly diminished

Don't forget to clean and up-cycle your empty Wickalicious containers! (Stay tuned for our upcoming blog post on creative ways to reuse your candle jars.)

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By following these simple care tips, you'll maximize your enjoyment of every Wickalicious Waxes candle. Have questions about candle care? Drop them in the comments below, and our team will be happy to help!

Happy burning!

Rhi Xx