There are two kinds of people in this world - candle dusters and candle burners.
I was a candle duster until about eight years ago. Come on, admit it, I know there are lots of you out there!
You are a candle duster if you have candles in your holders, but never burn them. You are a candle duster if you use the same family heirloom centerpiece every Thanksgiving, and it has the same orange tapers that came in it. You may be a candle duster if you have a Santa-shaped candle that you put out every Christmas.
I have a few tips for both kinds of people.
DUSTERS:
My first advice is to try a good quality candle. Maybe using a better quality candle will turn you into a candle burner!
If you must dust your candles, try slipping a knee-high nylon over your hand and rub the surface of your candle. The nylon is abrasive enough to remove any dust and small surface scratches, but not too abrasive for the candle. This should restore the original lustre of the candle.
If you also have dusty silk plants or flowers, put them in a brown paper bag with a half-cup of table salt. Shake it up for a minute and then remove the flowers, shaking the salt back into the bag. This will clean the plant and make it look like new again.
BURNERS:
You already know the importance of using a good quality candle, but if you've used a less than quality product in the past and have a holder that has the remnants of a votive in it, pop the holder into your freezer for about twenty minutes. (Be careful not to leave it in too long and don't light another candle in it until the holder has returned to room temperature.) Tap the edge of the holder and the residue should fall right out.
You probably also understand the importance of snuffing versus blowing out a candle. If you don't have a snuffer, try a teaspoon. Anything that cuts the oxygen supply to the flame will put it out. If you MUST blow out the candle, put your finger in front of your mouth (like you're telling someone to hush) and blow. Most people try to imitate Hurricane Andrea when they're blowing out a candle! GENTLE, please! The air will flow around your finger rather than hitting the wick directly.
For those of you who don't understand why you should use a snuffer, blowing on a candle may spray wax up onto the holder, and may also knock the wick off center (causing it to burn unevenly the next time it's lit).
Any candle will drip if it's burning in a draft, no matter how good the product is. One easy way to avoid this is to light the candle and watch it for a few seconds. If the flame flickers, it's in a draft. Try moving the candle, closing the window, or turning off the ceiling fan.
Trimming your wicks is important too, but please read the manufacturer's recommendations. Some products are formulated to burn without trimming wicks. Speaking for myself, the only wicks I trim are tapers and pillars. Tealights and votives burn well left alone.
If you have a pillar that is burning in a "well" (the walls of the candle are much higher than where the flame is), try giving your candle a little hug. After it's extinguished but the wax is still warm, gently hug the wall of the pillar, guiding the walls toward the center of the candle. This should keep it from burning right down the middle and will also help avoid the candle from spilling over the edges. Also watch your burn times. If you're burning it for short periods at a time, you may develop a "well", and if you burn it too long, you may lose any type of wall at all, causing it to spill over.
Links to My Friends and Other Great Sites
© 1997 
candlegenie@lvcm.com
I was a candle duster until about eight years ago. Come on, admit it, I know there are lots of you out there!
You are a candle duster if you have candles in your holders, but never burn them. You are a candle duster if you use the same family heirloom centerpiece every Thanksgiving, and it has the same orange tapers that came in it. You may be a candle duster if you have a Santa-shaped candle that you put out every Christmas.
I have a few tips for both kinds of people.
DUSTERS:
My first advice is to try a good quality candle. Maybe using a better quality candle will turn you into a candle burner!
If you must dust your candles, try slipping a knee-high nylon over your hand and rub the surface of your candle. The nylon is abrasive enough to remove any dust and small surface scratches, but not too abrasive for the candle. This should restore the original lustre of the candle.
If you also have dusty silk plants or flowers, put them in a brown paper bag with a half-cup of table salt. Shake it up for a minute and then remove the flowers, shaking the salt back into the bag. This will clean the plant and make it look like new again.
BURNERS:
You already know the importance of using a good quality candle, but if you've used a less than quality product in the past and have a holder that has the remnants of a votive in it, pop the holder into your freezer for about twenty minutes. (Be careful not to leave it in too long and don't light another candle in it until the holder has returned to room temperature.) Tap the edge of the holder and the residue should fall right out.
You probably also understand the importance of snuffing versus blowing out a candle. If you don't have a snuffer, try a teaspoon. Anything that cuts the oxygen supply to the flame will put it out. If you MUST blow out the candle, put your finger in front of your mouth (like you're telling someone to hush) and blow. Most people try to imitate Hurricane Andrea when they're blowing out a candle! GENTLE, please! The air will flow around your finger rather than hitting the wick directly.
For those of you who don't understand why you should use a snuffer, blowing on a candle may spray wax up onto the holder, and may also knock the wick off center (causing it to burn unevenly the next time it's lit).
Any candle will drip if it's burning in a draft, no matter how good the product is. One easy way to avoid this is to light the candle and watch it for a few seconds. If the flame flickers, it's in a draft. Try moving the candle, closing the window, or turning off the ceiling fan.
Trimming your wicks is important too, but please read the manufacturer's recommendations. Some products are formulated to burn without trimming wicks. Speaking for myself, the only wicks I trim are tapers and pillars. Tealights and votives burn well left alone.
If you have a pillar that is burning in a "well" (the walls of the candle are much higher than where the flame is), try giving your candle a little hug. After it's extinguished but the wax is still warm, gently hug the wall of the pillar, guiding the walls toward the center of the candle. This should keep it from burning right down the middle and will also help avoid the candle from spilling over the edges. Also watch your burn times. If you're burning it for short periods at a time, you may develop a "well", and if you burn it too long, you may lose any type of wall at all, causing it to spill over.
Links to My Friends and Other Great Sites
© 1997 candlegenie@lvcm.com