Candle Safety 101
We love candles. You love candles. We all agree that the limit on how many candles a person can own does not exist. What could go wrong?
Well, a lot. According to FEMA, there are an estimated 23,600 fires in homes every year, and women are over 30% more likely to be injured in a candle fire. And sure, you’ve glanced at the warning label on candles before, but what do those candle safety tips really mean? We have the answers so you can continue to enjoy beloved candles for years to come.
Candle safety tips explained
Remove all foreign objects before burning, including the dust cover: When we say remove all foreign objects, we mean it. No dust covers, like the ones included with Alcott candles, used matches, or dust (if your favorite autumnal candle hasn’t been used since last fall).
Trim the wick to 1/4″ before lighting: You should trim your wick every time you light a candle. If any bloom developed this needs to be removed. Often caused by a wick that is too long, wick bloom or “mushrooming” is an imbalance of wick to wax. Basically, there’s a build up of carbon on the wick that results in large flames and an unstable wick.
Make sure your candle is on a level, heat-resistant surface: Examples of heat-resistant surfaces include: stone and engineered countertops, tile, glass, marble, metals, and ceramics. If you want to burn candles on a surface that is not heat resistant, consider getting ceramic trivets — we use them in the production of our candles to protect all our surfaces.
Never leave a candle unattended while lit: This is one of the most important candle safety tips you can follow. Who among us hasn’t forgotten about a candle for a few hours? Even so, most candle fires are started because a candle was left unattended.
Keep away from flammable objects: This candle safety tip goes hand in hand with never leaving a candle burning unattended. The reason most fires start when a candle is unattended? It’s too close to something flammable like curtains or furniture. It’s recommended to keep a foot-wide “circle of safety” around lit candles — basically no objects within a foot of a candle while it’s lit.
Keep out of reach of kids and pets: Anyone who has kids or pets knows they’re agents of chaos who can’t be trusted with open flames. Keep it out of reach, and absolutely never leave a child or pet unattended with a lit candle.
Do not burn a candle for more than four hours at a time: We’re disappointed too, but burning a candle between two and four hours is the ideal length of time. Less than two hours could result in tunneling, and more than four hours is a danger. Your candle could become too hot to touch or could start to smoke and release soot. Or it could cause your wick to bloom, which we already know can be a safety issue.
The other reason to use candle safety tips
If safety isn’t enough reason to follow these candle safety tips, consider this: Doing so will ensure a better candle experience. Think a longer-lasting, stronger, and more evenly distributed scent. And a longer-lasting, better candle is what dreams are made of.
