Candle Safety

Home fires caused by candles have tripled since the early 90’s due to the growing popularity of candles.

Do you burn candles frequently? Do the candles you burn produce more soot than light? Do you know how to get the most out of your candles?

Here are some things to keep in mind when you are burning your candles so your home will be safe and enjoyable.

Before you buy a candle, make sure that the candle contains lead-free wicks. If you are not sure what kind of wick the candle contains, ask the salesperson for more information.

Candles and their light and warmth should not be health hazards. Soot is another health risk that can be prevented.

Always keep the wick centered and trimmed to 1/4" and keep matches and other debris out of the candle. Doing so prevents soot buildup.

All wrappers and stickers should be taken off the candle before lighting it for the first time.

A safe way to protect your furniture from wax is to light the candle on a protected, heat-resistant surface. There are many sturdy and safe candleholders for sale and one of them is bound to fit your decorating style. Be sure to place the candleholder on stable furniture.

It is very important to never leave a lit candle unattended. Candles become magnets for children and pets that are attracted to the playful flame. Therefore, keep the candle out of their reach.

Remember, a candle is an open flame and can easily ignite any combustibles nearby, so keep the candle away from drafts, vents and flammable objects too.

The safest way to extinguish candles is with a wick dipper. These are inexpensive tools that you use to dip the wick in the wax pool to extinguish it. This prevents the wick from smoking.

Once the flame is extinguished, use the wick dipper to pull the wick upright from the wax pool making it ready for its next lighting. Be careful not to splatter wax when extinguishing the candle.

Candles are made of oil, so instead of using water to extinguish any flare-ups you want to keep baking soda within reach. Water and oil do not mix and when they come in contact with each other they want to separate. Pouring water on melted wax results in a mini, wax explosion and is very dangerous.

If you haven’t lit a candle for a while make sure that there is no dust or other debris inside or on the candle that could cause a flare-up.