The Lower Lodge Candle Care Guide: Make the Most of Your Candle

Candles should be stored in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight. Why? Candle wax is sensitive to temperature and light, so heat and humidity can affect the way your candle performs. Candles also burn best in still air, as draughts can cause a candle to smoke, soot or burn unevenly. For that reason, make sure to place your candles away from open windows and doors. 

Looking after your candle wick is extremely important! For an optimum burn, trim your candle wick to approximately 5mm before burning. By trimming the wick, it will remove any 'clubbing' (the bubbly build-up of carbon at the end of a wick), prevent the candle from sooting (blackening on the inside of the candle glass), ensure better scent diffusion and prevent high flames which are unsafe. Also never allow the flame to touch the side of the glass. This can be prevented by centralising the wicks after each burn – especially important for multi-wick candles.  

The size of the wax pool on the first burn sets the memory for each time your candle is lit. To maximise the lifespan of your candle, do not extinguish the flame until an even wax pool that reaches the edge of the glass has formed. This can take between 3-4 hours. Doing this every time you light will allow your candle to burn evenly all the way down. If you extinguish your candle before a complete wax pool has formed, you may experience “tunnelling”, when a perimeter of unburned wax is left behind. However, do not burn right down to the candle base for safety reasons. As a general rule, always stop burning your candle when 10mm of wax remains at the bottom. 

Looking after your candle wick is extremely important! For an optimum burn, trim your candle wick to approximately 5mm before burning. By trimming the wick, it will remove any 'clubbing' (the bubbly build-up of carbon at the end of a wick), prevent the candle from sooting (blackening on the inside of the candle glass), ensure better scent diffusion and prevent high flames which are unsafe. Also never allow the flame to touch the side of the glass. This can be prevented by centralising the wicks after each burn – especially important for multi-wick candles.  

Match heads and wick remnants in the wax pool can lead to a candle flaring – along with being unsafe, this can also create an uneven burn. To avoid this, remember to remove any wick trimmings or other debris from the candle before lighting. 

It is important to always read individual candle warning labels carefully prior to lighting your candles. Also remember to check the label on the base of our products, as they provide crucial information about the composition and safety guidelines – these can vary from candle to candle. Following all instructions included with your candle is essential in preventing accidents and ensuring a safe candle-burning experience.