How To Properly Care
For Candles

Lighting a favorite candle is one of life’s quiet joys–whether you're ready to focus in the home office with something bright and fresh or you're creating a cozy night in with a warm, spicy candle. And by following a few simple steps, you can increase your candle's longevity." Below, you'll find our comprehensive candle care guide that answers all your burning questions.

Tunneling is by far the most common candle-ruining culprit and a beautiful burn starts with the first light. Tunneling is an issue that occurs when only the melted center burns down as solid wax accumulates along the edges of the vessel. The result is a messy, uneven burn that wastes a lot of precious wax! To prevent candle tunneling, allow the top layer of wax to melt entirely, from the wick to the vessel's edge.

Tunneling not only leaves wax behind but also limits how much fragrance can escape into the room, which is why properly burning a candle for the first time is important. Additionally, the first burn establishes the candle’s “memory”. In allowing the wax to liquify to the edges, you assure each burn to come is even, which helps in maximizing lifespan.

The appropriate amount of time for a full “first burn” varies depending on candle size, but as a general rule, aim for one hour of burn time per inch of candle diameter. We recommend saving your first burn for a slow Sunday morning or Friday evening dinner party when you know you’ll be home for a few hours (and you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy that fragrance!)

The key to a long-lasting burn is just as much in the candle wick as it is the wax. After a couple of burns, you may start to notice that your wick is “mushrooming” at the top, or building carbon deposits along the tip. Proper candle care calls for consistent trimming to avoid this issue – if left untouched, your flame will get too large and sooty, releasing an unpleasant smell, leaving a residue on the wall or ceiling, and causing an uneven burn. If you’re looking to nip this issue in the bud, we recommend trimming about a fourth to half an inch in length each time you plan on lighting your candle. A wick trimmer is the perfect accompaniment to your candle collection, as its precision is ideal and it will help collect any carbon debris that would otherwise fall onto the wax.

To burn a candle correctly, we suggest keeping it lit for no longer than three to four hours at a time–a careful balance that avoids excess heat whilst still getting that clean, even burn. Burning a candle for too long has the potential to reduce the lifespan by deteriorating the fragrance strength and causing a wick to mushroom.

Like any beloved object, candles benefit from thoughtful storage. To preserve scent, shape, and color, it’s best to keep them out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources. For candle storage ideas, we recommend a cool, dry space, such as a linen drawer, decorative box, or serveware closet. Tapers should always be stored flat and wrapped to prevent warping, while container candles should be kept with their lid or dust cover to keep the wax surface from accumulating dust.

Once the flame flickers out, don’t toss out these gorgeous vessels–transform them. Simply put the vessel in the freezer overnight so the wax detaches from the vessel for easy and gentle removal. Once emptied, use the vessel as a bud vase, makeup brush holder, or trinket dish. Decorating with candles does not stop when the glow is gone–these small, sustainable shifts are the perfect way to extend the life of loved items.

Added some candle care tips to add to your candle care routine? Explore our collection of candles to discover a new flame.