How To Make Your Candles Last Longer With The 7 Smart Tips
Candles are magical. They are key to your aesthetic self-care day. They are the source of light when electricity becomes a foe. The way they light up the room and set the mood of the day. They have various notes like vanilla, floral, tropical, pumpkin spice, and many more, bringing all the seasons together in one jar. These candle jars can be super expensive. However, your hard-earned money may feel like it went to waste when you watch your candle jar melt away real quick.
There are certain things that you should do to get the bang for your bucks in these candles. In this article, we will be spilling the beans. So read on to know these simple tips for making your candles last longer.
1. Freezing the Candle
As soon as you buy a candle, show some patience and stick the jar in the freezer. Allow it to sit there for 8-10 hours before using. The cold air will help the wax get harder, so it will require more energy to melt. This will ensure the candle burns slowly, making it last longer!
2. Putting Salt in the Candle
Melt the wax and add a pinch of salt to it. Stir the mixture with a spoon to evenly distribute and dissolve it. It serves a similar purpose like freezing it, prolonging the life of the candle. The salt helps to make sure the candle burns more slowly and evenly, so less wax is wasted and your precious candle’s lifespan increases!
3. Trim your Wick
Bigger is not always better, especially in the case of candles. Having a big wick not only looks odd compared to the size to wick ratio but is also dangerous. A big wick will result in a big flame emerging and may cause a serious hazard. On top of that, big wicks will make the candle burn at a faster rate. To prevent it, trim the wick after you blow out the candle before you light it again. You can do it with scissors or invest in the best wick trimmers available in the market to be on the safe side. (Well, who doesn’t want to be on the safe side when it comes to…fire?)
4. Be Patient with the Burning Candle
I get it. You light up a candle for your self-care routine, getting pampered for only a few minutes, and once it is over, you put it out. You come back and see not even half the candle is melted, which makes you think you’re saving more, right? No! You’re just accelerating to the finish line. Burning your candle for only a few minutes results in uneven burning. This makes your wick melt off some parts, creating a mess. For a more effective approach, let your candle burn until you see the first layer of wax pooling around the jar.
5. Make sure the Candle Is Away From any Draft
If you want to make candles last longer, you have to make sure it’s the star of the show. No fans, AC, vents, or drafts can steal the show from it. This will make the candle burn abnormally, making it fling around, splattering wax (if the wind is too strong), and creating a mess. This will make your candle burn unevenly as there will be improper heat distribution.
6. Straighten your Wick and Let it Cool Off.
To keep the candle burning evenly, you need to make sure your wick is straight up and down after every session. If it looks like it’s leaning to one side, just give it a quick little adjustment with your fingers—once it has cooled down.
One of the key rules of prolonging the life of a candle is to make sure that the wick is as straight as a stick. If it is clinging on one side, it will only melt those parts promoting uneven heating. What you can do in this case is, after you’re done blowing the candle for the day, take some tweezers to make it stand upright. You can also use your handy-dandy fingers for this, but make sure to cool the wick out first. (Unless you want a reason to skip work or school…no, I am kidding. Don’t do it!)
Adding on it, please make sure to cool your candle down completely before you light it up again. This will lower the temperature, and there won’t be any uneven burning. This will also make sure you don’t end up with uneven wax spreading around and making a mess. This will make candles last longer!
7. Reuse the Candle Jars
If you’ve made it to the very bottom of your candle, congrats! Rather than throwing away the jar with that last little layer of unburnable wax at the bottom, pour a bit of boiling water into the vessel, which will soften the wax and make it easy to remove. Then, you can reuse the glass jars to plant a succulent, store hair ties, or whatever your heart desires.
Your candle finally took its last blowout (hopefully after many weeks and months if you followed the tips above), and now you are ready to dispose of it. Wouldn’t you like to preserve the precious jars that you spent so much on? First, boil some water and use a cloth to remove the wax. The hot water helps to soften it, making it easy to clean, and no residue is left out. Then use these jars as a DIY to transform your house, add some flowers or just store your stuff there. There is so much you can do with them!
But if you want to create a new candle out of it, buy some wax melts that are widely available at an affordable price, and melt them down. Mix and match colors and add your desired scent. Place a standard wick or wooden wick at the jar, supporting it with two sticks, and gently pour the wax. Ta-da, you restored your precious candle! It might not be as good as the previous one, but it will still smell marvelous. If you’re looking for a fall hobby, candle-making might be a fantastic choice.
There you have it – all the tricks to make candles last longer. These are simple rules that are easy to wrap your head around and can help you out with minimal effort. How cool is that! What are some of the tips you follow to prolong your candle’s life? Let us know in the comments below!