Lifestyle

4 ways to make candles last longer

Simple care tips to help you get the most out of your favourite candle.

When you spend upwards of $40 on a good-quality candle, you want to get burn for your buck.

If you’re one of those people that puts off lighting a candle out of fear of it running out, you’ll be pleased to know there are things you can do to make your candles last longer.

From regularly trimming the wick to burning for at least two hours at a time, Moiya Scents founder, Melissa Young shares how to get the most out of your candles by giving them the care and maintenance they need.

1. Trim the wicks

  • Trimmed wicks make for a cleaner burn with less smoky residue.

  • Wicks that are left long or crooked can cause uneven burning, dripping, flaring and sooting.

  • Regularly trimming wicks will increase the lifetime of your candle – longer wick causes a candle to burn at a faster rate because the flame is bigger it burns through the wax faster.

  • To use a wick trimmer, simply trim the head of the wick once the candle wax is cool to 6mm (candles should not be burning for longer than 4 hours at a time).

Prevent ash and black smoke from spoiling your candle by trimming the wick regularly.

(Photo: Moiya Scents)

2. Placement

  • Avoid placing candles in draughty area, this will allow the burn to be consumed better.

  • If one is unavoidable, turn candles periodically for even burning.

3. Storage

  • Ensure the lids are placed back over the candles when not in use to prevent dust from gathering over the top of the wax. This won’t allow for a longer burn, but will ensure a clean burn.

Burn candles for a minimum of two hours to create an even melt in the wax.

(Photo: Ella Brodie-Reed)

4. Burn time

  • When you burn candles, ensure you burn them for a minimum of two hours to create an even melt in the wax, this will prevent wax building up uneven along the sides of the jar.

TIP

To remove dents and scratches in the wax, gently buff candles with a nylon stocking to restore shine.

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