Soy Candle Care Tips

We have had a lot of questions lately from our customers regarding a candle care guide. Ask, and you shall receive!

Our hopes are that with the use of this guide you can learn proper candle care, making this more than just a candle purchase but improving your overall experience with candles for your lifetime.

For those of you that don't like reading please see the infographic below, if you are a nerd like us who likes to read, please check out the main body of text:)

• Create an even melt pool
• For each burn, always let the melted wax reach the edge of the jar before you blow out the candle. This will prevent the candle from tunneling. 
• Never burn your candle for more than 3-4 hours at a time.
• Burning your candle for longer than 3-4 hours will overheat the jar, allowing the wick to get too long. Having an elongated wick will cause your candle to burn through the wax faster with each subsequent burn.  If you prefer to burn your candle for longer than 3-4 hours utilize two candles and alternate them. This will maximize the overall burn time.
• Trim your wick to 1/4" between burns
• Similar to the item above, trimming your wick before lighting allows the candle to burn more efficiently and not as hot thus providing for a longer burn time. We like to utilize a candle wick trimmer but you can also use a nail clipper.
• Keep candles free of any foreign materials including matches, wick trimmings, drafts, flammable materials, pets, etc.
• Not only does burning your candle near these items cause a major fire hazard but having it near other items can cause a disruption in airflow which will cause an uneven burn.
• Only burn candles on a level, fire resistant surface and burn within sight.
• Stop use when only 1/4" of wax remains
• While we all want to burn our candle till the very last drop it is important that you stop burning it at 1/4" to avoid overheating the bottom of the jar.

Once you've finished your candle we highly recommend that you re-purpose your empty candle jar! You can remove the last remnants of wax by pouring in boiling water, letting it cool and disposing of the wax in the garbage (never pour the wax down the drain, it's bad for your plumbing). You can utilize the empty jar for desk storage, as a planting jar for a kitchen herb garden, for storing matches or lighters...the possibilities are endless!

Frequently asked questions:

 We are happy to answer any questions that you might have in future blog posts so please feel free to email us at info@twonerdscandle.com with anything you are interested in hearing about! We will continue to update our FAQ with any questions but here are some recent questions we've received:

1. Are soy candles safer? Are soy candles healthier?                               
   Soy candles are made from soybeans, which makes soy candles safe to burn and a biodegradable and renewable resource. The other main wax used to create candles is paraffin wax. Paraffin is a colorless wax which is derived from petroleum, coal, or oil shale. While not inherently dangerous in small quantities, many individuals prefer to burn something derived from a vegetable then from crude oil. If you see a candle marketed as a "soy blend" it means that there is some percentage of soy in the candle and the remainder is another type of wax.  Many manufacturers will advertise their "soy blend" which could be 99% paraffin wax and 1% soy. We are pleased to say that all TNCC candles only utilize soy wax.

2. Do soy candles last longer?                                                                  
   Soy candles are typically cleaner burning with less soot than their paraffin alternatives. One of the biggest benefits of a soy candle over paraffin is the burn time.  If you haven't tried a soy candle you need to experience it yourself to see the difference.  A soy candle can have a burn time which is about 50% longer than a similar sized paraffin candle. Soy wax burns cooler than paraffin wax and has a lower melting point (if you leave your candle in direct sunlight you can even see it begin to "sweat"). 

3. How long do soy candles take to set?                                                       
   There are a lot of factors that go into candle cooling times such as the pouring temperature, room temperature, humidity, drafts, and the jar size. Our candles take approximately 3-4 hours to completely set.