Why you should trim your candle wick?

Are candles dangerous?

You arrive from your favorite store or get your favorite candle delivered to your door, You are so excited to use it that you go ahead and light it. WRONG! Read on to know what to do to get the best candle experience.

There can be dangers lurking in a candle. Back in the earlier days, wicks had a lead content, a thin metal inside layer used to keep the wick upright. Today researchers have come to realize the dangers of lead wicks. (lead poisoning) It may have been the cause of these health issues.

• Behavior issues
• Slow growth rate
• Short term memory loss
• Reproductive issues
• hearing loss
• nerve disorders
• Respiratory issues.

Wicks with lead greater than 0.06% are now banned. Today they use a more natural method using core stiffeners, such as paper and synthetic fibers.

The wick itself needs to be treated with a solution of borax or salt which is dissolved in water in which the wicks are soaked. This makes the wick more fire retardant or the wick would burn away.

Most candles today are from natural eco-friendly materials.

Trimming candles wicks

Just a few tips to ensure your best candle experience.

-To trim a wick down to the desired length of 1/4″ scissors, a wick trimmer or nail clippers work fine. To measure 1/4″ you can use 2 nickels or 2 pennies together to reach the desired length.(as shown above)

-Be sure to trim your wick before every burn. This will prevent mushrooming, which can cause the wick to curl, cause more smoke and flickering.

-Do not overburn your candle for more than 2-3 hrs. Blowout, trim, cool, and reignite if needed.

-A big flame creates more pooling, therefore using more fuel which will result in the candle life shortened.

The less carbon emitted into the air will keep your environment safer.

Some tools available are:

Arc rechargeable lighter

A candle snuffer   –used to extinguish the candle safely with no soot.

A Candle Trimmer- used to trim wick to 1/4″ with precision and ease.

Or buy them as a set

HaPpy burning. Stay safe and be sure candles are blown out if unattended and do not use close to any ignition source. (curtains, bedding decorations)

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