Tips for Burning Soy Candles

The two most important tips are:

**Keeping your wick trimmed to 1/4"**

**and giving your candle a memory burn - see below**

When burning a candle for the first time, it is important to give it a "memory burn". You should burn the candle for 1 hour (not more and not less) for each inch of its diameter. Example: a candle 3" in diameter should be burned for three hours to establish its "memory".   This allows your jar candle to establish a full melt pool increasing the scent throw.  If a candle isn't given a proper memory burn (meaning if your candle is burned for a short period of time), it will "Core Burn" down the center and a good scent throw cannot be achieved.  Also, you'll be left with wax at the bottom and at the side.

• Allow candle to cool and harden before relighting.

• When trimming your wick, only trim the “carbon ball” off the end. Soy wax is a thick substance and requires the extra heat for a complete burn.

• Discontinue burning container candles when there is 1/4 inch of wax left in the bottom. Soy wax can be cleaned up easily with soap and water!

• Use a wick dipper to avoid smoke and the disruption of your "now fragrant" home. When extinguishing a candle, don't blow it out. Use the end of a wick dipper and push the flame into the pool of wax and pull up. It will extinguish your candle without the smoke, keeps your home smelling great and primes the wick for the next lighting.

• Do not place soy candles in the refrigerator or in direct sunlight, as extreme temperature changes will cause discoloring in candles.

• Upon cooling, your soy candle may appear "bumpy" on the top. This is completely normal and a natural characteristic of all soy wax.

Why is my scent throw not strong?

My candle burned straight down?

Why do I have wax left at the bottom?

When burning a candle for the first time, it is important to give it a "memory burn". You should burn the candle for 1 hour for each inch of its diameter. Example: a candle 3" in diameter should be burned for three hours to establish its "memory".   This allows your jar candle to establish a full melt pool increasing the scent throw.  If a candle isn't given a proper memory burn (meaning if your candle is burned for a short period of time), it will "Core Burn" down the center and a good scent throw cannot be achieved.  Also, you'll be left with wax at the bottom and at the side.

 

Drafts or extreme room temperatures can cause uneven burn. The wick must always be kept centered. If a wick should ever move to one side while burning, extinguish candle, and reposition wick to the center. Also make sure your wick is centered each time you extinguish your candle.

 

Votive problems

Votives must be burned in an appropriate votive holder.  If not burned in an appropriate holder, votives will completely liquefy in about 1/2 hour, leaving a big puddle of molted wax!

 

My wick is burning itself out?

Keep the wick trimmed to 1/4" Try not to trim the wick too short though, as the flame can drown when the wax melts around the wick and that can cause a wick to burn itself out.

 

Black Soot

No candle can be soot free, but soy wax candles do have less soot and more importantly no toxins in the soot.  Black soot is caused by a candle that is smoking (in our candles this is typically from too long of a wick!)       
There could be several reasons why you are getting black soot. First and very importantly, make sure that you trim the wick to 1/4" each and every time before you light your candle.  Second, make sure that you are not burning your candle in a draft. Any draft of wind will make the candle flame flicker and smoke. Third, when you are trimming your candle wicks, do not leave the trimmings in the candle wax . This will cause black soot. Fourth, ensure that there is enough air space around your candle. Do not burn in a cubby or
bookshelf. This inhibits the amount of oxygen that is getting to the wick of the candle and will cause black soot to form.

Wick Off-Center

A wick can burn off-center especially if your wick is not trimmed. If an off-center wick is causing your candle to burn unevenly, simply move the extinguished wick to the center of the candle with a metal spoon while the wax is still soft.