Candle Safety Guide

How to Burn a Candle Safely

Before Igniting:

• Before lighting, always trim the wick down to ¼ inch. You can use a wick trimmer, nail clippers, or scissors. Long or crooked wicks can cause uneven burning, dripping or flaring.
• Always use a candle holder specifically designed for candle use. It should be heat resistant, sturdy, and large enough in diameter to protect your surfaces from any drips or melted wax.
• Keep the wax pool clear of all debris i.e. wick trimmings, matches, and etc.
• When lighting a candle, use long matches or a long-reach lighter. Keep your loose clothing and your hair away from the flame.

Cautions and Warnings:

• Never leave a candle unattended.
• Never burn a candle on or near any material  that can catch on fire. Keep burning candles away from carpets, bedding, drapes, furniture, books, magazines, paper, flammable decorations, etc.
• Never burn a candle to the bottom. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 1/2 inch remains in the container or 2 inches if using a pillar candle.
• Keep candles out of the reach of pets & children. Do not place lighted candles where they can be knocked over by pets, children, or anyone else.
• Always supervise children and pets while candles are burning.
• Never touch or transport a candle while it is burning or while the wax is liquefied.
• Place burning candles at least three inches apart from one another. This is recommended to make sure that they don’t melt one another, or create their own drafts that will cause the candles to burn improperly.
• Always extinguish a candle if the flame exceeds over 2 inches or flickers repeatedly. Let the candle cool, trim the wick, and check for unwanted drafts before re-lighting.
• Never use a candle while you fall asleep or as a night light                                                   Be very careful if using candles during a power outage. Flashlights and other battery-powered lights are safer sources of light during a power failure. 
•  Never use a candle during a power outage to look for things in a closet, or when fueling equipment i.e.lanterns and kerosene heaters.
• Never use a knife or sharp object to remove wax drippings from a glass holder. It might scratch, weaken, or cause the glass to break upon subsequent use.

Burn candles in a well-ventilated room:

• Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for proper and burn time. In general, it is recommended that candles do not burn for longer than four hours and should cool for at least two hours before relighting.
•  Avoid vents, drafts, or air currents. This will help prevent rapid or uneven burning, sooting, and excessive dripping.

 When Extinguishing a Candle: 

• Never use water to extinguish a candle. Water can cause the hot wax to splatter and it also might break the glass container.

Never use your fingers to extinguish a candle. Extinguishing flames this way can lead to serious injury to your body. (Remember, the hot wax is what usually burns people who try this extinguishing method.)

• Use a candle snuffer or gently blow to extinguish a candle. It’s the safest way to prevent hot wax from splattering. (Remember to remove all flammable objects away from the candle if you choose to blow it out.)
• Make sure the candle is completely out and the wick ember is no longer glowing before leaving the room. Failure to do so could lead to potential fires.
• Never touch or transport the candle until it has completely cooled.