How Do You Maintain A Jar Candle?
Jar candles are a popular candle option because they allow the fragrance to fill the entire room while also providing attractive accent lighting. Maintaining jar candles properly helps them burn cleanly, maximizes fragrance diffusion, prevents sooting, and extends the life of the candle.
Jar candles are commonly made from paraffin wax, soy wax, or beeswax. Paraffin wax is derived from petroleum and creates a strong scent throw. Soy wax is made from soybeans and burns slower and cooler than paraffin. Beeswax is a natural wax made by honey bees that has a subtle honey aroma when burning.
Trimming the Wick
One of the most important jar candle maintenance tasks is trimming the wick properly. The length of the wick directly impacts the size of the flame and the rate at which the candle burns. If the wick is too long, it can create billowing smoke, allow the flame to get too large, and cause the candle wax to pool unevenly.
Before lighting a jar candle, it’s recommended to trim the wick to around 1/4 inch in length. This helps control the size of the flame and ensures an even burn. Use candle wick trimmers or small scissors to neatly trim the wick. Make sure to trim right before lighting, as wicks can become longer after each burn. Trim as needed, usually every few burns or w8h any visible mushrooming at the tip of the wick.
Trimming the wick to the proper height is essential for maximizing burn times with jar candles and preventing issues like tunneling. It takes just a few seconds but makes a big difference in performance and safety.
Allowing the Wax to Form a Wax Pool
One of the keys to maintaining a jar candle is allowing the wax to fully melt and form a complete wax pool. When you first light a new jar candle, it’s important to allow the candle to burn for at least 4 hours the first time to fully melt all of the wax and create an even burn pool in the jar. This initial complete melt helps prevent tunneling issues where the wick burns down faster in the center compared to the edges.
Allowing the wax to completely melt and form a full wax pool ensures even burning and maximum fragrance release. The wax pool should go all the way out to the very edges of the jar for the full surface of wax to melt. If the edges are not melting, you may need to trim the wick slightly shorter so that the flame is not so high and strong in the center. Creating a full wax pool on the initial burn and each burn thereafter will prevent tunnels in the wax and allow for the best performance.
Storing Jar Candles
Properly storing your jar candles is important to maximize their life and performance. Jar candles should always be stored upright and in a cool, dry place. Avoid storing them in areas with extreme temperatures or direct sunlight.
High heat can cause the wax to melt and distort or even leak out of the jar. Direct sunlight can also cause fading of candle dyes. On the other end of the spectrum, storing jar candles in extremely cold temperatures or humid conditions can lead to frosting or cracking of the wax.
Pantry cabinets, cupboards and closet shelves make ideal storage places for jar candles. The darkness will help preserve the candle’s color as well. Just make sure wherever you store them is away from heat vents, the stove, windows or other hot or cold spots in your home.
Keeping jar candles tucked away in proper conditions until you’re ready to burn them will help ensure they last as long as possible and perform their best when lit.
Avoid Drafts and Burn in Stable Location
Drafts and airflow can cause issues when burning jar candles. Air currents will make the flame flicker and dance, leading to uneven melting and burning of the wax. This can create problems like tunneling, where a hole burns down into the wax, or dripping where wax melts faster on one side. To avoid drafts, place your jar candle on a stable, flat surface away from vents, open windows, ceiling fans, or other sources of moving air. A sturdy table or countertop is ideal. Avoid placing it near the edges where it could be bumped. And keep it away from high traffic areas so it’s not accidentally knocked over. With a draft-free and stable location, your candle will burn evenly down the center.
Use a Candle Holder
Candle holders serve an important purpose for jar candles. They catch any melted wax or drips that run down the sides of the glass jar as the candle burns. This helps keep both your candle and the surface underneath clean.
Choose a holder that fits your candle jar snugly. You don’t want the jar rattling around or being unstable. The holder should be made of a non-flammable material like metal, glass, or ceramic. Avoid using plastic or paper holders as they can pose a fire hazard.
Look for holders with a wide, sturdy base. This helps prevent tipping and spilling. The holder should be at least an inch or two taller than the candle jar. This provides ample overhead room for the flame and wax pool.
The right candle holder improves safety, catches drips, and prevents messy wax spills. It also elevates the candle visually and can enhance the ambiance the candle creates.
Proper Burn Time
When burning jar candles, it’s important to let them burn for the proper amount of time. As a general rule, you should burn a jar candle for at least 1 hour per inch of the candle’s diameter. This helps ensure even wax pooling and full fragrance release.
Burning a jar candle for too short of a time can lead to issues. Short burns that are less than an hour per inch of diameter may result in soot buildup on the wax and glass. This happens because the candle doesn’t get hot enough to fully melt and burn off the wax pool.
On the other hand, burning a candle for too long can also cause problems. Long burn times that greatly exceed 1 hour per inch of diameter can cause the wax to overheat and start breaking down. This can diminish fragrance release and lead to an irregular melt pool.
Following the 1 hour per inch of diameter rule of thumb will let you enjoy your jar candle’s scent fully without any burning issues. Stick to the proper burn time and your candle will perform optimally.
Cleaning the Jar
After burning a jar candle for a while, you will notice wax dripping down the sides and residue building up on the inner walls of the glass. It’s important to clean this regularly to allow the candle to burn properly.
An easy cleaning solution is mixing baking soda with water into a paste. Using a soft cloth, gently wipe the inside walls of the jar to scrub off any built up wax. The mild abrasiveness of the baking soda will help remove residue without scratching the glass.
You can also wash the jar in warm, soapy water. Let it fully dry before placing the candle back inside. Wiping down the outside of the jar will also help keep it looking clean.
Getting in the habit of cleaning the jar every few burns will help extend the life of your candle and prevent excessive buildup.
When to Replace the Wick
As the jar candle burns down, the wick will get smaller and smaller. Once the wick becomes less than 1/8 inch long, it’s time to replace it. A wick that is too short will require trimming more frequently. It can also lead to smoke, tunneling down the center of the wax, and poor scent throw.
Replacing the wick before it gets too small helps maintain ideal candle performance. Look for replacement wicks that are the same width as the original. Carefully remove the shortened wick and insert a new, full sized wick into the melted wax pool. Make sure it stands straight up in the center. Now your jar candle is ready to keep burning cleanly and evenly all the way down.
Conclusion
To recap, the key maintenance tips to maximize the burn time and performance of your jar candle are cleaning the jar after each use, trimming the wick to 1⁄4 inch before lighting, avoiding drafts, using a candle holder, allowing the wax to form a wax pool, and replacing the wick when it becomes rough or uneven. With proper care and maintenance, you can ensure your jar candle burns evenly all the way to the bottom of the glass without damaging the jar or releasing excess smoke. This will improve performance, provide a better scent throw, and maximize the life of your candle. Proper maintenance also reduces the risk of potential fire hazards like excess smoke or tunneling wicks. Caring for jar candles takes only a few extra minutes but makes a big difference. Your jar candle will burn beautifully to the bottom and provide ambiance and fragrance in your home when maintained correctly.
