Religious & Home Candle Safety Tips
Lit candles are used in religious services, in places of worship, and in the home. Whether you are using one candle, or more than one on a candelabra, make sure you take a few moments to learn about using candles safely:
- Lighted candles should always be within sight. Never leave a burning candle unattended. Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or before going to sleep.
- If a candle must burn continuously, be sure it is enclosed in a glass container and placed in a sink, on a metal tray, or in a deep basin filled with water.
- Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc.
- Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets. Do not place lighted candles where they can be knocked over by children, pets or anyone else.
- Always use an appropriate candle-holder placed on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
- Keep burning candles away from drafts, vents and air currents.
- Extinguish a candle if it smokes, flickers repeatedly, or the flame becomes too high. Cool, trim wick, check for drafts, and re-light.
- Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.
- Do not burn a candle for longer than the manufacturer recommends.
- Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room.
- Extinguish the flame if it comes too close to the holder or container. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 2 inches of wax remains (1/2 inch if in a container). This will also help prevent possible heat damage to the counter/surface and prevent glass containers from cracking or breaking.
- Never touch or move a votive or container candle when the wax is liquid.
- Extinguish pillar candles if the wax pool approaches the outer edge. (For pillar candles without glass container)
- Place lighted candles at least 3 inches apart from one another.
- One of the safest ways to extinguish a candle is to use a candle snuffer, which helps prevent hot wax from spattering
- Do not extinguish candles with water. The water can cause the hot wax to spatter and can cause glass containers to break.
- Never use a candle as light when you go into a closet to look for things.
- Never use a candle for light when fueling equipment such as a lantern or kerosene heater.
Beeswax Candle Care
Please note that all of our 100% pure beeswax candles will develop “bloom” over time, as crystal-lke frost thin-film will appear over the candle. Bloomed beeswax candles have a beauty of their own. This is also an indicator of purity of our candles. If you want your candle fresh looking, you can take a soft cloth and rub the bloom off, or run warm water over the candle and then dry it. Candles in the glass containers can be treated by blowing warm air. The “bloom” does not affect the quality of burning of your candle.
How do I properly burn a Pillar candle?
Pillars, such as “Rosa Mystica” beeswax candle must be burned on a heat and flame resistant plate. Before lighting your Pillar, trim the wick to ¼” long. For full wax consumption, let a wax pool form to the outer edge of the candle by allowing the pillar to burn for at least 3 hours each time you light it (sometimes longer depending on draft, temperature etc). This prevents the Pillar from burning a hole just down the center. As the Pillar burns down, you can fold the edges into the wax pool for a even burn throughout. Instead of blowing out the candle, dunk the wick into the wax pool and straighten. When you light your candle, light the base of the wick not the tip.
Hurricane lamps or glass lanterns are not recommended for beeswax pillars as the lamp holds in the heat and reduces oxygen flow to the flame. This may cause the melted candle wax to spill over the side or may cause the wick to smoke up the glass.
How do I properly burn natural beeswax Candlesticks?
Candlesticks include Tapers, Base Candles, Columns and Tubes.
These candles must fit snugly in a secure holder. Generally the wicks don’t need to be trimmed, but if they appear too long you can trim it to ½”. Do not cut too short as this may cause dripping to occur (the wax is being melted, but there is not be enough flame to burn it up before it spills over the edge). If a carbon cap develops on the tip of the wick, extinguish the candle, trim the wick and relight. We do not use chemical additives to harden the outside edge of our candles to prevent dripping. Under most conditions natural beeswax candles are virtually dripless, however all candles are sensitive to drafts. When a candle flame is exposed to a draft, it may start to flicker. If your candle drips, extinguish, remove the candle from the draft and relight. Forced air furnaces, ceiling fans and quick movements around the candle all create draft. Extinguish the flame of your candle before it comes in contact with your holder as the heat may crack glass holders.
How do I properly burn a natural beeswax Votive candle?
Votive beeswax candles require a votive cup as they are designed to fully liquefy. Candles in glass cups require special attention, the are very hot! Make sure to choose an appropriate glass container available from the Virgo Sacrata. Usually, during continuous burning, the wick doesn’t need to be trimmed on a votive candle unless the flame is flickering. If you light and extinguish beeswax candle for a short time, please make sure that before extinguishing, the beeswax is liquefied around the circumference of the glass container.
Before each lighting you can trim the week just a little bit, but never trim it with your fingers (you will break the wick, and your candle will not work), always use scissors! When your votive candle is at the end of burning process, extinguish it, use a tool to lift off the remaining wick and metal base. At this time have your refill candles ready, and gently insert your new candle into
the residual beeswax while being liquid, press and center it. You are set to use your new candle!
Another way to replace your used beeswax candles with a new one is to place glass container in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, this method makes very easy wax/old candle removal.
How do I properly burn natural beeswax Tealights?
Tealights, such as Rosebud Beeswax Candle must be burned in the Tealight cups we provide or other cups made specifically for them. They are designed to fully liquefy. You don’t need to trim the wick and they are are best burned in one lighting. If you choose to extinguish the candle it may not relight if less than half the wax is left. Thick holders draw the heat away from the Tealight and you may get an incomplete burn. Tealights have a large wick tab to hold the wick up and centered, the tab disperses the heat for a safer burn.
How often should I trim the wick on my natural beeswax candle?
Depending on which type of candle you are using, you may have to trim the wick. Generally if the flame is flickering or moving back and forth a lot the wick should be trimmed. Occasionally carbon may build up on the wick and resemble a small mushroom. If this occurs extinguish the candle, trim the wick, and relight. For candles that are not symmetrical the full height of the candle (such as our Ornamentals), the melt pool may get very close to the edge of the candle. Before the wax spills over, extinguish the flame, trim the wick and relight. For candles burned in a container such as a votive cup, the flame may get too large for the oxygen supply. This will cause flickering and may cause sooting due to incomplete combustion. Extinguish the flame, trim the wick and relight.
What is the best way to extinguish my candle?
For Pillars and larger diameter candles simply dunk the wick into the melted wax and straighten, making sure to center it for an even burn. This eliminates smoking and guarantees an easy relight. Candlesticks such as Tapers, Tubes and Bases should be snuffed out with a smokeless snuffer. Votives should be snuffed out with a smokeless snuffer. To ensure a proper re-light, Tealights should only be extinguished if they are less than half consumed. They should also be snuffed out with a smokeless snuffer.
Is it important to keep my candle clean?
Yes! You should never leave matches or trimmed pieces of wick in the candle. The debris can and will act like an additional wick. You may end up with too hot of a burn or with a flame that is close to the edge of the candle resulting in a blow out. The melted wax will spill out and run down your candle. It is best to avoid this mess, but also a good reason to always burn your candles on or in an appropriate holder.
How do I stop my candle from dripping?
When a flame flickers a lot the candle may drip. There are a few factors which cause the flame to flicker: drafts from air furnaces, fans, etc. or from quick movements around the candle. If the flame is large, trimming it may help or move your candle to a draft-free environment.
How do I get natural beeswax out of fabric?
If you spill on fabric, place the item in the freezer until it hardens and you can chip it off. You can also cover the fabric with paper towel and press a warm iron over the spill and repeat until the wax is absorbed.
How do I get beeswax out of my candle holder?
The easiest way to remove beeswax from your holder is to place it in the freezer for a few hours. Once removed from the freezer simply chip the wax off and wash with warm soapy water. Always burn candles on or in appropriate holders.
Beeswax Candle Use and Storage Tips
- To guard your candles against fading, avoid placing them in direct sunlight.
- Store your candles in a cool, dry place. Bright light can fade candle colors and hot temperatures can melt the wax causing your candles to lean. Tapers should lie flat when stored.
- Clean solid candles with a piece of nylon or a dry or damp soft cloth.
- Always store candles in a cool, dark, dry place. Tapers and dinner candles should be stored flat to prevent warping.
- Remove wax from holders by running very hot water over them. Alternatively, some individuals suggest placing the candle holder in the freezer. This will allow the wax to shrink and easily pop off when the candle holder is removed from the freezer.
- Never use a knife or a sharp object to remove wax drippings from a glass holder; it might scratch, weaken, or cause the glass to break upon subsequent use.
- Votive candles will clean easily if you add a few drops of water to the glass before inserting the candle. Caution: Do not add more than a few drops and do not add water unless you intend to burn the candle immediately afterward. Over time, a candle wick could absorb the water and no longer burn properly.
References: National Fire Protection Association
