I think sometimes we are
so familiar with candles and use them so much, we forget
there are some very real safety issues we need to be
diligent about, as there can be a very real fire hazard if
you don’t.
Below are a few
suggestions that come to mind; many are common ones I hear
of frequently.
1. Do not take a nap
while a candle is burning. If you are feeling sleepy,
extinguish the flame immediately. It may be comforting to
nap while a candle is burning, but it is not safe! Do not
ever leave a candle burning unsupervised.
2. Be aware of where
you are burning your candle, and what’s surrounding the
candle. Are there curtains nearby that could catch flame, a
lampshade, papers lying around close by? Is it in a place
that could be knocked over easily by a person or animal?
Remember possible dog tails wagging. Move it away from
all objects or places it could easily be tipped over or near
things that could easily catch fire?
3. When the candle is
½” from the bottom of the jar, it is done! Don’t burn it
until the entire wick is consumed. I know it may feel
wasteful and you’ll want to get everything out of your
candle you possibly can, but it really is a safety issue.
Candles are adhered to the bottom of containers by metal
tabs, and when you burn the wick all the way down, at some
point the flame is right on that tab directly and it gets
VERY hot. Some jars can break due to the intense heat. We
use jars that are acceptable for candles, but it is a safe
practice to not do this to any candles. The other thing
that can occur if you do this is the risk of marring the
surface on which your candle is sitting on. If the waste
factors totally drives you nuts, then get an electric candle
warmer, and simply sit your ½” left in the jar candle, on
that and use in that manner until the scent is gone.
4. If you’re burning a
candle and you need to move it, do not pick it up while
burning and move it. I’ve read a very sad story of an
elderly lady doing this and her pajamas caught fire while
she was moving it and she was severely burned. It’s not
worth the risk! Extinguish the flame, better yet let the
wax cool, then move it and relight. You don’t want hot wax
spilling anywhere either, so it really is better to let that
cool to the point that it starts setting up.
The other alternative is
considering going a flameless route, which are becoming very
popular options. Either the candle warmers, or tart melters
of some type are good choices. Many people like to use
these in their offices as they can’t have open flames going
anyways. Others use them for the safety factor, or just a
change of pace. If you would like to see what we have to
offer for flameless options, please visit our web.
Enjoy your candles, but
be safe!
