Candles are a wonderful addition to our home. The feeling you get walking into a room filled with the aroma of a scented candle can really bring out that contented feeling. However, with great power comes great responsiblity. Proper candle care is important, and can not be neglected. Here at Loftern, we’ve curated this brief guide on candle care. Please read and enjoy your candles safely!

We provide a free download of these instructions here as well.

Before Burning
• Prior to burning your candle, trim the wick at least ¼ inch. This prevents uneven burning, dripping or flaring. Learn more here.
• Keep the pool of wax free of wick trimmings and any debris at all times.
• Place the candle on a stable, heat-resistant surface. This will also help prevent possible heat damage to counters and table surfaces, and prevent glass containers from cracking or breaking.
• Avoid drafts, vents or air currents. This will help prevent rapid or uneven burning, sooting, and excessive dripping.
• Burn for 2-3 hours each time you light the candle. This will help the candle burn evenly, and remember to trim wicks before each burn. Learn more about burning time here.

While Burning
• Do not burn unattended.
• Burn on heat safe dish to catch wax drippings.
• Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc.
• Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets. Do not place lit candles where they can be knocked over by children, pets or anyone else.
• Never leave a burning candle unattended or lit while sleeping. If you are going to leave the room or go to bed, be sure to extinguish all candles first.
• Never touch or move a burning candle. Never move a candle container when the wax is liquefied.
• Don’t burn a candle all the way down. For safety measures, stop burning a candle when there is ¼ inch of wax left in the vessel.
• If burning multiple candles, place each candle at least three inches apart from one another. This is to ensure they don’t melt one another, or create their own drafts.
• Extinguish a candle if the flame becomes too high or flickers repeatedly. Before re-lighting, let the candle cool, trim the wick, and check for unwanted drafts.
• Use extra caution when burning candles during a power outage. Battery-powered lights like flashlights are much safer sources of light during a power failure.

When Extinguishing
• Use a candle snuffer to extinguish a candle, if available, as it’s the safest way to prevent hot wax from splattering.
• Do not use water to extinguish a candle, this can cause the hot wax to splatter and could break a glass container.
• Before leaving the room, make sure your candle is completely out and there is no glow coming from the wick ember.
• Do not touch or move the candle until it has completely cooled.