All About Candles
& Candles Tips
It used to be that when
discussing all about candles the only talk was about their use to provide light in emergency situations, but this
is not the case any more. We now talk about candles a lot more, about their use to set the mood for a
romantic evening, or to decorate a room. We talk about using aromatherapy candles to help relieve stress or help
relax us after a hard day at work, and we have scented candles to arouse our sense of smell. We have so many
different kinds of candles to mention, from pillar candles to scented jar candles to ear candles to votive candles
to soy candles to gel candles, and with the different types come a variety of candle holders, designed to appeal to
many audiences.
No matter the type of candle,
there are some ways to make them last longer, and to make them safer to burn too. Have a look at the following tips
and enjoy your candles for longer.
Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Candles
Most households have candles in them, but whereas they used
to be there for emergency power outages, they are now in homes as decorations, or in the case of aromatherapy
candles, to add a certain aroma to the air. Now although there are lots of candles around and they have come
down in price a lot - they are sold in dollar stores throughout the country - you want to get your money's
worth from them, so here are a few tips and tricks to help you.
Keep the wick of the candle trimmed to about 1/4 inch. If
you allow the wick to get longer the chances are that the candle will burn much faster, and also will cause
more smoke. If you find the candles are causing soot to collect on the container, then that is because the wick
is too long and needs trimming. If you have nail clippers, you may find that these do a better job of wick
trimming than scissors.
Keep your candles away from drafty areas because drafts
cause the candles to burn unevenly, and sometimes cause more smoke too. This means keeping burning candles away
from forced heating vents, air conditioning vents, or open windows and doors.
Did you know that cold candles burn slower? The best way to
make them cold is to first of all wrap them individually in foil or cling wrap. This will prevent the wick from becoming moist.
Then put them in the fridge for roughly an hour. After this, remove them from the wrap and light them. Do not
freeze candles, as they will break if you do.
If you are burning pillar candles, it is best to let them
burn for at least an hour for each inch in diameter, as this will stop the candle burning through like a
tunnel.
When extinguishing a candle, use a candle snuffer, which are
easily purchased these days. You can blow the candle out, but to prevent the splattering of hot wax, place your
finger in front of the candle flame, and blow gently. The air will be forced around your finger (index finger
works best), but still extinguishes the flame. That is a neat trick about candles that not many people know.
Always keep your lit candles well out of the reach of
children and pets, and never leave lit candles unattended. Candles should be burnt in a well ventilated room
too.
If you do happen to spill candle wax on your carpet, it is
best to remove it by placing a paper towel over the spill, and then run a warm iron over the towel. The iron
will heat the wax enough to melt it, and the towel will absorb it. Make sure that the iron is definitely on a
low heat. One of my daughter's friends
tried this but her iron malfunctioned, unfortunately overheating, and this resulted in an iron-shaped burn mark
on the carpet that didn't impress her landlord too much at the time! Oh well, it was a good learning
experience.
So, when you are thinking about candles, think about the
pleasure they can give to others, and think about making your own unique candles - it's not difficult to do,
and you can personalize them for your friends.
candle making | candle | candles
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