Candle Care and Maintenance

Fair trade candles lit in dining room handmade by Propserity Candle's women artisans

We love how candles fill a room with peaceful radiance and scent... and with the proper candle care and maintenance, your candles can continue to burn beautifully for a long time.

Here are a few candle care suggestions on how to best love and care for your candles at home.

Step-By-Step Candle Care Tips:

  1. Each time you light your candle, be sure to let the wax in your candle melt completely to the edges of the container (about 1 hour) before blowing it out. This will help prevent “tunneling," where only the wax in the center of the candle melts. 
  2. For the best candle care, remember to avoid burning any candle for more than 3 or 4 hours at a time. This is a safety precaution and will make it so that your candle can be used again on multiple occasions. 
  3. Trimming the wick of your candle before you relight it is a great way to keep your candle wax clean and burning nicely. Always check that the wick is centered in the melted wax and regularly trim to about ¼” tall. One easy way to do this is by using a wick trimmer, which is designed just for that, or using a pair of scissors can also do the job.
  4. Another way to extinguish your candle flame without creating any smoke is by using a wick snuffer or dipper. A wick dipper is a simple tool that dips the flame into melted wax and pulls it back up, ready for the next lighting. Once you try one, you'll love it.
  5. To keep dust out of your candle when it is cooled and not in use, remember to cover yours a few hours later with a paper topper, lid or cotton bag that it may have come with.

Candle Care and Candle Maintenance Tips | Wick Trimming

A Few Candle Care Safety Tips To Remember:

• Never leave a burning candle unattended, or burn on or near anything that might catch fire, or try to move it while it is burning.

• Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.

• Be sure to place candle on a stable, heat resistant surface before lighting. For candles in metal vessels, using a cork or stone coaster is best as they tend to get hotter than others.

• Keep the wax pool clear of wick trimmings and debris, including burnt matches.

• Avoid air drafts which can cause sooting and uneven burning, and remember to burn all candles in a well-ventilated room.

• As relaxing as it might be, never fall asleep to candlelight! If you prefer a scent while you sleep, a reed diffuser is a safe way to diffuse scent throughout a room during the day and night without needing any flames.

• Be sure to extinguish and let cool a candle if the flame becomes too high or flickers repeatedly.

• Know when it’s time to say goodbye... we recommend stopping to use your candle once only ½” of wax remains at the bottom. There are many fun ways to repurpose your candle container after the candle is finished. We've put together a few ideas and tips for reusing your candles here

Candle Care and Candle Maintenance Tips