Candle Tricks & Safety Tips This Fall

Some of the greatest smells of any season come during the fall. From apple cider, to pumpkin pie, even bonfires and the crisp cool autumn air, things just smell better in the fall. Is it any wonder then that many of us eagerly break out our fall scented candles as soon as the first leaf starts changing?

As you are decorating your home with candles and other fall décor this season, here are a few things to remember about proper candle care and candle safety tips.

-To prolong the life of your candles, when you light a new candle for the first time make sure you have enough time to let it burn for 3-4 hours. This helps to set the right burn path in the candle which will keep the wick straight for future uses.

-Keep the wick trimmed to ¼ inch at all times. Long or warped wicks are more likely to burn irregularly or flare up and potentially cause a fire. You can buy wick cutting tools or just use scissors or nail clippers.

– Never leave candles unattended, and never within reach of small children or pets. Unattended candles are the leading cause of candle fires, and having something hot and dangerous within reach of kids or animals could lead to burn injuries or a fire.

– Burning candles all the way to the bottom of the jar is a fire hazard, toss the candle when there is 2 inches left of a free standing candle or ½ inch in a jar candles. Candle jars can often be repurposed into a planter, pencil cup or other decorative purposes.

-Keep candles on flat, stable surfaces away from things like paper, curtains or other flammable objects.

-Extinguish candles with care to avoid the risk of hot wax splattering. Use a candle snuffer, or if you have a candle with a lid putting the lid on top works too.

-Avoid burning candles in drafty areas like hallways or open windows.