How to increase burn time and scent from your soy wax candle

Soy Wax Candle Care: Tips to Maximize Burn Time and Scent

Soy candles have become a popular choice for eco-conscious consumers, offering a cleaner, longer-lasting burn compared to traditional paraffin candles. However, to get the most out of your soy wax candles, it’s essential to understand proper care and maintenance. Below are some simple yet effective tips to ensure your soy candles burn beautifully, providing an even burn, rich scent throw, and long-lasting enjoyment.

1. Trim the Wick Before Each Use

One of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your candle’s performance is by trimming the wick. Ideally, you should trim the wick to about 1/4 inch before each lighting. This prevents the wick from becoming too long and producing a large, flickering flame, which can cause uneven burning and excessive soot. A well-trimmed wick promotes a cleaner, more controlled burn and helps to avoid creating a pool of melted wax around the wick that could extinguish the flame.

2. Allow the Wax to Melt Evenly

When you light your soy candle, let it burn long enough for the wax to melt evenly across the surface—this will usually take 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the candle. An even melt pool helps to prevent tunneling (where the wax burns only around the wick, leaving unused wax along the sides of the container). If you consistently burn your soy candle for at least an hour each time, the wax will melt evenly across the top, maximizing your candle’s lifespan.

3. Don’t Leave Candles Burning for Too Long

Though soy candles last longer than paraffin candles, it’s still important to avoid burning them for excessively long periods. Ideally, you should never burn your soy candle for more than 4 hours at a time. This can help prevent the candle from overheating, causing the wax to burn too quickly or the wick to become too long and produce excessive smoke. After burning for a few hours, allow your candle to cool and solidify before relighting.

4. Store Candles Properly

When your soy candles aren’t in use, store them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Sunlight can cause the wax to discolor and potentially affect the fragrance, leading to a weaker scent throw when lit. It’s also a good idea to keep your candles covered with a candle lid when not in use to protect them from dust and dirt, ensuring they remain clean and ready to use.

5. Use a Candle Snuffer

To avoid damaging your soy candle and prevent excessive smoke, it’s best to extinguish your candle with a candle snuffer instead of blowing it out. Blowing can create a mess of hot wax splatters and may cause the wick to smolder, creating unnecessary smoke. A snuffer will gently extinguish the flame while preventing the wick from becoming deformed or producing excessive soot.

6. Keep Candles Away from Drafts

Drafts can affect the way your soy candle burns, leading to uneven melting and a flickering flame. To ensure a clean, even burn, keep your candle away from open windows, vents, or fans. A draft can cause the flame to be unstable, which can make the candle burn faster and reduce the burn time.

7. Reignite and Melt the Wax Pool

When relighting your candle, make sure to let the new flame melt the entire surface of the wax to the edges of the container. This ensures the entire candle is consumed evenly. If you light it for short periods without allowing the wax to melt completely, you risk creating tunneling, which will shorten the overall burn time.

8. Recycling and Repurposing the Wax

Once your candle has burned down and there’s only a little wax left, don’t throw it away! Soy wax is biodegradable, and many people choose to repurpose the leftover wax in creative ways. You can scoop the wax out of the container and use it in wax melts, or simply recycle the empty jar by cleaning it out and using it for storage or as a decorative item.

9. Enjoy the Fragrance

One of the main reasons we choose soy candles is for the beautiful, clean scent they provide. Soy wax holds fragrance well, offering a subtle yet consistent scent throw throughout the burn. For the best olfactory experience, light your candle in a well-ventilated room and let the fragrance fill the space gradually. Also, remember that stronger fragrances work better in larger rooms, while more delicate scents shine in smaller spaces.

10. Dispose of Candles Responsibly

Once your soy candle has burned through, dispose of the wax and container responsibly. Soy wax is biodegradable, so it’s much more eco-friendly than paraffin wax. You can even reuse the glass jar for other purposes around the home.

Conclusion

With proper care, your soy wax candles can provide hours of enjoyment and a luxurious atmosphere. By following these simple tips—trimming the wick, avoiding drafts, storing properly, and letting the wax burn evenly—you can ensure that your soy candles last longer, burn cleaner, and maintain their beautiful fragrance. Enjoy the calming ambiance and gentle glow of your candles while also being mindful of sustainability!