How to Achieve the Perfect Burn for Your Soy Candle
Soy candles offer a cleaner, longer-lasting, and more eco-friendly alternative to traditional paraffin candles. However, to fully enjoy their benefits, it's essential to ensure they burn correctly. Here's a step-by-step guide to achieving the perfect burn for your soy candle.
1. Initial Burn:
- Burn time: The first burn is crucial for establishing an even melt pool. Aim to burn the candle for at least 2-3 hours or until the entire top layer has melted.
- Prevent tunneling: Tunneling occurs when only the center of the candle melts, leaving unmelted wax around the edges. This can lead to uneven burning and shorter candle life.
2. Trim the Wick:
- Regular trimming: Before each burn, trim the wick to about 1/4 inch. This prevents the wick from curling or smoking, ensuring a cleaner burn and stronger scent.
3. Even Melt Pool:
- Consistent burning: After the initial burn, strive to burn the candle for long enough sessions to allow the entire surface to melt. This helps prevent tunneling and ensures complete wax consumption.
4. Avoid Drafts:
- Stable environment: Place your candle in a draft-free area. Drafts can cause the flame to flicker and soot to form, affecting the burn quality and scent.
5. Extinguish Safely:
- Proper snuffing: Use a candle snuffer to extinguish the flame. Blowing it out can cause soot to form and the wax to pool around the wick.
Additional Tips:
- Store properly: When not in use, store your candle in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight.
- Avoid touching the wax: Handling the wax can leave fingerprints that can burn unevenly.
- Use a candle holder: A candle holder can protect surfaces from wax spills and create a more elegant display.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your soy candle burns cleanly, efficiently, and provides a delightful fragrance experience.