How to burn a candle safely

A soy wax candle can look beautiful and burn cleanly for a long time, as long as it gets a little care. These are the simple habits that help a candle burn evenly, keep its shape and stay safe in your home, plus a short section on wax melts.

Before you light it: trim the wick

Trim the wick to about 5 mm before every burn. A wick that is too long makes a tall, flickering flame that can smoke, leave soot on the container or tray, and burn through the wax faster than it should. A short, neat wick gives a calmer, steadier flame.

Use a wick trimmer or small scissors, and let the candle cool completely before you trim it. Remove any trimmed bits of wick or matches from the wax, because debris in the melt pool can catch light.

The first burn matters most

The first time you light a candle, let it burn until the melted wax reaches the edges. For most candles this takes around 2 to 3 hours. Soy wax has a kind of memory: if you blow it out early, the next burn tends to follow the same small circle, and the candle starts to "tunnel" down the middle while wax is left on the sides.

So save the first burn for a slow evening when you'll be home for a few hours.

How long to burn a candle

After the first burn, burn your candle for no more than about 4 hours at a time. Longer burns can make the wick grow a "mushroom" of carbon, the flame can get too big, and the wax and any container can get hotter than is comfortable.

When you have finished, let the candle cool and set fully before lighting it again, and trim the wick back to about 5 mm.

Where to put your candle

Away from draughts. Open windows, fans, air vents and busy doorways make the flame flicker, which can cause smoke, soot and uneven burning.
On a stable, heat-resistant surface. A tray or dish under the candle protects your furniture and catches any drips.
Clear of anything that can catch fire. Keep candles well away from curtains, shelves above, books, dried flowers, paper decorations and Christmas greenery.
Apart from each other. Leave a gap between candles so they don't heat each other and melt unevenly.
Out of reach of children and pets. Choose a spot where small hands, wagging tails and curious cats can't knock the candle over or touch the flame.

Never leave it unattended

Always stay in the room with a lit candle, and never fall asleep while it is burning. Blow it out or snuff it before you leave the house, go to bed or get distracted by guests. This is the single most important candle safety rule.

How to put a candle out

Snuff the flame rather than blowing it out. A candle snuffer gently starves the flame of air, so there is less smoke and no risk of splashing hot wax. If you don't have a snuffer, you can carefully dip the lit wick into the melted wax with a wick dipper and lift it straight back up, which also leaves the wick coated and ready for next time.

Never use water to put out a candle. It can make hot wax spit and may crack a container.

A note on sculptural and decorative candles

Sculptural candles, like busts, figures and shaped Christmas candles, are designed mainly for decoration. If you do light one, it will burn unevenly and gradually lose its shape. That's normal for shaped candles, not a fault. Stand it on a tray, keep burns short and follow every tip above. The sculptural candle care guide has more detail.

Using wax melts

Wax melts give you fragrance without a flame on the wax itself. A few simple tips:

Use a proper wax warmer or burner made for wax melts, either a tealight burner or an electric warmer, on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
Start small. Place one or two melts in the dish. You can add more later if you want a stronger fragrance.
Don't add water to the dish, and don't let it boil dry with a tealight burning underneath.
Leave the melted wax to cool before you move the warmer or tip the wax out. Hot wax can burn skin.
Replace the wax once you can no longer smell it. Pop the dish in the freezer for a few minutes and the set wax usually lifts out easily.
Apply the same safety rules as for candles: never leave a lit tealight burner unattended, and keep warmers away from children, pets and anything that can catch fire.

Scented wax sachets for wardrobes and drawers are different. They are meant to be hung or placed in a drawer, not melted, so there is no heat involved at all.