Candle care, storage and burning instructions.

Candle Care, Storage and Burning Instructions

Candle Care
Remember, a burning candle is fire. In order to gain the most enjoyment possible from your candles, you must give appropriate regard to how they are stored and burned.

Always keep candles away from children and pets.
Never leave a burning candle unattended.

Candle Storage
All candles which are not being used for decorative or useful purposes should be stored in a cool, dark place. And if they are fragranced, they should be kept packaged until you are ready to use them.

When you are ready to display your candles, you may wish to wipe them with a very soft cloth. In fact, an old nylon stocking works great. This is also the best way to clean them after you have put them on display.

To place a taper securely into a holder that is slightly tight, dip the bottom of the taper into warm water. Remove and trim with a knife while still warm.

To place a taper securely into a holder that is slightly large, use a dab of candle adhesive or melt a small pool of wax into the base of the holder. When it begins to set, place the bottom of the taper into the firming wax and hold in position until set. TIP: When your tapers burn down to about 1/2 inch of remaining wax, remove them from the holder and save them for this purpose. That way you don't need to light your new tapers to perform this procedure.

Candle Burning Instructions
When you are ready to burn your candles, remember a few things. The flame of a candle is carbon soot. If you do not follow the burning instructions, in addition to a shorter burning life, you may create a fire hazard and/or wind up with soot marks on your ceiling or walls.

Instructions for burning candles:

Place your candle on an adequately sized, heat and stain resistant dish or holder. Any container is fine as long as it is the appropriate size and it is heat and stain resistant.
Place your candle on a level surface. If your candle is not on a level surface, it will burn unevenly, reducing the overall burn time.
Place your candle in a draft free location. If your candle is not in a draft free location, the flame can be dangerous, but it will also cause an improper burn which can lead to soot deposits and/or reduction of overall burn time.
Before you light your candle each time, trim the wick to 1/4 inch.
When trimming the wick, be certain to remove all burned wick matter.
Never drop matches or other foreign objects into candles.
Burn the appropriate length of time on the first burn (*see below). Never burn a candle for more than 3 to 4 hours at a time.
Dispose of candles when 1/2 inch of wax remains.

*Different size pillar candles require different initial burn times. Always defer to the burning instructions included with your candle, usually found on the bottom on a label. If there are no instructions, here are some tips. It is important to develop a softened pool of wax around the wick the first time the candle is burned so that it will continue to burn properly and fully on subsequent burnings. Instructions seem to vary slightly depending on the candle maker. The candle will burn longest if you burn right to the edge the first time. However, do not create an unsafe situation. If the flame is irregular or it takes longer than 3 to 4 hours, extinguish the flame. After the first burn, you will need to let the softened wax harden again before relighting.

Always use caution when burning a candle. If the flame appears unsteady, extinguish the candle, trim the wick and relight. If it continues to appear to be unsteady, you may have a draft. Extinguish and relocate the candle in a draft free location. Again remember, a burning candle is fire and if your candle appears to be burning dangerously, extinguish it. A dangerous fire is never a good thing.