6 Tips on How to Make Scented Candles Last Longer
Here at Innerfyre Co, we believe that candles can fix just about everything.
In a bad mood? Light a sweet vanilla-scented candle.
Feeling stressed? Light a green tea-scented candle.
Want to add a warm glow to a romantic dinner? Simply light a beautiful tealight candle!
Clearly, we’ve known how to make scented candles the answer to just about everything.
It’s because candles can never fail to make you feel better or add a lovely ambience to your home. And if you have found your absolute favourite candle or have spent money on a luxury candle then you would want to enjoy the warm glow and fragrance as long as possible.
That said, what are the points to consider on how to make scented candles last longer?
How to Make Scented Candles Last Longer
As candlemakers, we thought why not share some tips and tricks with you guys to make that favourite candle of yours last longer. These are simple points that ensure you know how to use scented candles properly.
So, say goodbye to black smoke, weirdly-shaped wicks, wax stuck on the inside of the jar, or those soot stains on the jar!
Simply follow these do's and avoid the don’ts of candle burning to make candles last longer.
1. Choose Your Candle Size Wisely
When buying a candle, people usually focus on the fragrance or wax and don’t really think about the size of the candle in terms of the room. But in order to find the scented candles that actually work, the size should be considered — it can make all the difference to the scent throw.
Say, for example, your house has cathedral ceilings and you lit a 4-ounce candle, then it won’t be able to throw the scent well.
The same goes for smaller rooms – ideally, you wouldn’t want to overpower your bathroom with too much fragrance using a large candle. Tealights work just fine for smaller rooms or bathrooms.
Choosing the right sized candle can help throw scent better and keep that beautiful fragrance lingering around longer.
2. Make Sure To Trim The Wick Regularly
We can’t emphasize this one enough! Want to know how to make scented candles last longer? Trim, trim and trim those wicks regularly.
A big wick means a big flame – a big flame will burn out your candle faster, leaving behind soot marks on your container.
So, make sure to trim the wick to 1/4-inch or simply just the tip of the wick before each burn to make candles burn longer. This will also ensure a clean burn.
In fact, trimming the wick is recommended every four hours while burning.
Once you blow out the flame, let the candle cool down and come to room temperature. Then use a candle wick trimmer to trim the wick before relighting it again.
Also, reposition the wick to the centre when the wax is still slightly soft, this will prevent soot stains on the jar.
3. Avoid Drafty Areas
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Fans, ACs, or open windows can cause the candle flame to fling around or burn unevenly.
Always make sure to place your candles away from those drafty areas in your house. This will make candles burn longer.
Yes, that citronella candle may look wonderful by the window, but that’s now how to make scented candles last longer — that’s just going to make it burn unevenly and reduce its life.
4. Burn Your Candle Long Enough The First Time
This is one mistake we all tend to do – Not burning the candle long enough the first time.
To make your candles last as long as possible, make sure you burn them for at least 3 to 4 hours the first time you burn them.
What does this do in terms of how to make scented candles last longer? This allows the top layer of wax to melt completely and in turn ensuring an even burn the next time you lit the candle.
Candle experts believe that wax has a memory and it burns in the same pattern every time. So, if you light your candle long enough the first time you are basically setting it up for an even burn every time.
5. Check On How Long to Light Scented Candle
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Who doesn't love the soothing fragrance of a rose- or lavender-scented candle lingering around at home?
But if you know how to use scented candles properly, you know that it is recommended to cap your burn time at 4 hours. This recommended burn time is set for safety reasons (there have been instances of candles exploding) as well as to avoid candle tunnelling.
When you start burning candles for shorter periods, you will notice how long they last. But if you are anything like us and love having a candlelit all the time then you can do what I do.
How to make scented candles last longer in this scenario? Simply alternate between candles – so while one is cooling off you can relight a different one. This will ensure safety and at the same time will allow you to have that warm glow going on all day!
6. Have A Cooling Off Period
Once you have blown out your candle, it can take anywhere between 2 to 3 hours to cool completely.
This is called the cooling-off period for candles. And this time is very very important. Relighting your candle before it has cooled completely will leave you with uneven wax.
Also, it's much safer to trim your wick when the wax has cooled, or else you might burn your finger in a hot pool of wax.
Over to You
We hope these tips and ideas help you hold on to that favourite scented candle of yours for as long as possible.
Now that you know how to use scented candles properly and how to make scented candles last longer, you can definitely enjoy them for quite some time.
If you're on the lookout for affordable scented candles, make sure to check out our candles on sale. This collection changes every month, so it's a nice place to discover both old and new favourites!
And if you are keen on knowing more about fragrance notes and candle tips, make sure to check out our blog. And in case you are looking for some beautiful candles, you can check out the amazing collection of coconut wax candles at our store.
Shop for Scented Candles in Singapore today.