Candle Care Tips

Are you the proud owner of a new candle? Awesome! You’re probably eager to light it and enjoy its scent, but before you do, we have some helpful candle care tips to follow so you can get the most out of your candle.

Below is some of our tried-and-true advice for ensuring a safe, fragrant, and long-lasting burn from your candle. 

Steps on How to Make Your Candle Last Longer

If you’re looking to get a lasting aroma from your candle, we recommend following these steps each time you light it:

1. Center your wick – When you first light your candle, the wick will be centered. Because our candles are made with cotton paper wicks (and not metal), as you burn your candle, the wick may start to get a little too comfortable and travel off center in the warm wax. If your wick has moved off center, recenter it by gently holding the end and sliding it toward the middle of your jar. You may find that this is easier to do when the wax is still a bit warm after extinguishing the flame; simply use the back of a spoon to nudge it back to the center.
   
2. Trim your wick – Once you’ve ensured the wick is centered, it’s time to trim it! Using a wick trimmer or a pair of scissors, trim your wick to ¼ of an inch before lighting your candle, every time. This is the optimal height for ensuring an even burn that minimizes soot buildup. In addition, trimming your wick will help it stay centered in the candle, preventing an uneven melt and minimizing the risk of shattered glass. Heads up – ¼ inch is shorter than you think, being roughly the size of a pencil eraser – so don’t be afraid to trim trim trim!
3. Remove debris – After you’ve centered the wick and trimmed your candle, make sure it is free of any wick trimmings, matches, and other debris. These can reignite and create a flame that is too large for the candle, posing a safety issue and potentially shattering the jar.  
4. Strike a match and enjoy!

Other Tips for Making Your Candle Last Longer

Beyond our initial steps above, here are a few more candle care tips from our scent experts:

• A draft is your candle’s worst enemy. Keep your candle away from ceiling fans, high traffic areas, and vents. Along with being a safety issue, a moving flame can also cause uneven burning and produce black soot around the jar.
• Never leave a candle unattended, and keep any that you are burning out of reach of children and pets.
• Extinguish a candle if it repeatedly smokes or flickers, or if the flame is too high.
• Burn your candle between one and four hours at a time for best results. If you wish to enjoy it longer, extinguish the flame after a few hours, recenter and trim the wick, and then relight. 
• Discontinue the use of your candle when ¼” of wax remains to ensure a safe burn.
• The smaller the candle, the less fragrant it may be. If you aren’t getting a strong enough smell, try burning a few complementary smaller candles side-by-side, or place your candle in a smaller room.    

If you've tried the above steps and are concerned your candle isn't burning the way it should, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at hello@pennandbeech.com. Please attach a photo of your candle to your email so we can diagnose the problem and make it right! 

About Our Reed Diffusers

We aren’t just experts on candle care. We also know the best approach for using our reed diffusers.

Our reed diffusers release a slow, steady fragrance for 2-3 months without the use of a flame. They will be less strong than burning a candle, and are ideal for small spaces such as half bathrooms and offices. They are also a great way to enjoy fragrance in a place where burning a flame is not allowed, such as dorm rooms, classrooms, hospital rooms, and more.

To enjoy your new reed diffuser, remove the plastic cap from the top of the diffuser, then screw the lid back on. Place the complete bundle of reeds inside the diffuser, soak for a few minutes, and then flip upside down to release the fragrance into the air. Anytime you wish for a fresh burst of fragrance, simply flip the reeds. 

FAQs on Candle Care Tips

If I use your candle care tips, how long can I expect my candle to burn?

If you follow our tips for making your candle last longer with our 8 oz. products, your candle should have a true burn time of 60 hours. For the 16 oz. options, you will receive a true burn time of 120 hours.

What are the benefits of using cotton paper wicks?

When properly maintained, cotton paper wicks burn cleanly and evenly. This helps enhance the candle scent and increases safety.

What types of candles do you offer at Penn & Beech?

P&B offers over 140 unique fragrances within many different candle collections. Popular collections that our customers absolutely love include:

What happens if I don’t trim my candle’s wick?

If you don’t trim the wick, it can cause a larger flame. Larger flames lead to uneven burning, excessive soot buildup, and an increased risk of your candle container’s glass breaking. That’s why it’s very important to trim the wick of your candle.

What’s the best way to light my candle?

After trimming your wick and removing debris, using a long match or an extended lighter will be the easiest method for lighting your candle. Make sure to also light the wick near its base and not just at the top. This important candle care tip will help ensure the flame will burn evenly.

Do you sell wholesale candles and private label candles?

Yes! We can create custom scents for everything from international brands to small businesses. We also offer custom labeling for the front and bottom of your candle. If you want to learn more about this service, check out our wholesale candles and private label candles page.

Contact Penn & Beech for More Candle Care Tips

If you’re looking for more tips and tricks on how to make your candle last longer, feel free to contact our team. We’re here to help!