How to Burn a Candle Safely
Before Lighting:
- Before burning, always trim the wick to ¼ inch for a cotton wick and 1/8" - 3/16" for a wood wick.
- Keep the wax pool clear of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.
Burn candles in a well-ventilated room:
- Avoid drafts, vents, or air currents. This will help prevent rapid or uneven burning, sooting, and excessive dripping.
- Never burn a candle for over three hours and cool for at least two hours before relighting.
- When lighting a candle, use long matches or a long-reach lighter. Keep your hair and loose clothing away from the flame.
While Burning:
- Never leave a candle unattended.
- 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 lighted candles where they can be knocked over by children, pets, or anyone else.
- Never touch or move a candle while it is burning or while the wax is liquefied.
- Don't burn a candle all the way down. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 1/2 inch remains in the container or 2 inches if using a pillar candle.
- Place burning candles at least twelve inches apart from one another. This is to ensure they don't melt one another, or create their own drafts that will cause the candles to burn improperly.
- Extinguish a candle if the flame becomes too high or flickers repeatedly. Let the candle cool, trim the wick, and check for unwanted drafts before re-lighting.
- Never use a candle as a night light or while you may fall asleep.
- Be very careful if using candles during a power outage. Flashlights and other battery-powered lights are safer light sources during a power failure. Never use a candle during a power outage to look for things in a closet, or when fueling equipment - such as a lantern or kerosene heater.