7 Care Tips for Handcrafted Soy Candles
There’s something undeniably soothing about the warm flicker and delightful scent of a handcrafted soy candle. To get the most out of your candles, it’s important to know how to care for them properly.
Sea Oats Candle Company crafts high-quality soy candles that burn for over 60 hours—rim to rim—without waste, ensuring you enjoy every penny’s worth of your purchase. By following a few simple tips, you can extend the life of your candles and enjoy a clean, consistent burn. And if you can’t burn a candle in your space, diffuser oils are an excellent alternative.
1. Trim the Wick Before Each Burn
One of the easiest ways to maximize your candle’s burn time is by keeping the wick properly trimmed. Before lighting your candle, use a wick trimmer or scissors to cut the wick to about ¼ inch. A properly trimmed wick prevents excessive flickering, sooting, and uneven burning.
If the wick is too long, the flame may burn too hot, causing the wax to burn faster and unevenly. Keeping it short ensures a steady, controlled flame and helps your candle last longer.
2. Let the Wax Pool Reach the Edge
When you first light your soy candle, and every burn after that, be sure to let it burn long enough for the melted wax to reach the rim of the container—this can take up to two hours for our largest candles. This is known as achieving a full melt pool.
Sea Oats Candle Company candles are designed to burn rim to rim without waste when properly cared for. By allowing the wax to fully pool with every burn, you prevent "tunneling," where the candle burns down the center and leaves wax stuck on the sides.
3. Burn Your Soy Candle in 3-4 Hour Intervals
For the best results, avoid burning your candle for too long in one sitting. Ideally, limit each burn session to about 3-4 hours. This helps maintain the integrity of the wick and ensures a clean, even burn throughout the life of the candle.
Longer burn sessions can cause the wick to shift, lean, or form a carbon buildup, which may lead to uneven burning or a diminished scent throw.
4. Keep the Candle Away from Drafts
Drafts from open windows, fans, or air conditioning vents can cause the candle’s flame to flicker and burn unevenly. Place your candle in a stable, draft-free location to ensure a steady flame and even wax consumption.
Protecting your candle from drafts not only improves its burn time but also enhances the ambiance by maintaining a calm, flickering glow.
5. Store Soy Candles Properly
To maintain the quality of your soy candle, store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Excessive heat or sunlight can cause the wax to discolor or lose its fragrance potency.
Sea Oats Candle Company’s soy candles are made from 100% USA-grown soy wax, which is naturally biodegradable and sensitive to extreme conditions. Proper storage ensures your candle stays fresh and beautiful.
6. Know When to Stop Burning
As your candle nears the end of its life, it’s important to stop burning when about ½ inch of wax remains at the bottom of the container. Burning past this point can cause the jar to overheat, potentially leading to safety issues.
Sea Oats Candle Company’s thoughtful design ensures that you get every bit of value from your candle without compromising safety.
7. Clean and Repurpose the Jar
Once your candle has fully burned, you can easily clean out the remaining wax with warm soapy water. Soy wax is biodegradable and easy to clean compared to paraffin wax. Repurposing the jar for storage or decoration is a great way to reduce waste and get even more value from your purchase.
Sea Oats Candle Company even offers candle refill kits! So, buy a kit and refill your jar time and again!
Final Thoughts
By following these simple care tips, you can ensure a longer burn time, cleaner experience, and better value from your handcrafted soy candles. Sea Oats Candle Company’s premium candles are designed to burn 60+ hours—rim to rim—with no waste, providing exceptional quality and enjoyment.