To ensure a completely satisfactory candle burning experience, we have put together some common candle burning tips. Soy wax is a natural wax and therefore burns slightly different than paraffin candles. MACC wants you to enjoy your candle burning experience. To get the most out of each burn, please follow the candle burning tips below. By burning your soy candle correctly, you will enjoy a safe and beautiful burning experience as well as extend the life of your soy candles.
+burning tips for soy candles
Basic Soy Candle Instructions
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A lit soy candle should always be within your sight.
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Never leave a burning candle unattended.
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Never burn a soy candle on or near any object that could be reached by the flame.
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Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.
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As your candle starts to burn down and melt make sure your wick stays centered and does not contact the side of the container to prevent the jar from possibly cracking.
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Read and follow all manufacturer instructions carefully.
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Trim the wick to 1/4 inch each time before burning to prevent smoking and carbon mushrooming.
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Extinguish the flame if it comes too close to the container to keep the container from getting too hot.
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Always burn your soy candle on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
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Keep burning soy candles away from drafts and vents.
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Extinguish a candle if it smokes, flickers repeatedly, or the flame becomes too high. Cool, trim wick, check for drafts, and re-light.
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Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.
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Always burn soy candles in a well-ventilated room.
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Never touch or move any soy candle when the wax is still melted.
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Burn your soy candle until it is melted completely across the top. This will help prevent your soy candle from tunneling (burning down in the center).
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To dispose of unwanted soy wax, pour the wax in a trash can or something similar. Please do not pour wax down the drain as IT WILL CLOG YOUR SINK!
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Extinguish your soy candle with a wick dipper if it smokes, flickers repeatedly, or the flame becomes larger that 1" high. Cool for one hour, trim the wick with a wick trimmer and re-light.
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Discontinue burning your soy candle when only 1/2 inches of the wax remains in the container.
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Do not burn soy candles for more than 3 hours at a time.
+Getting the most out of your Soy Candle Fragrance
When you light your soy candle for the very first time, it is important to remember that it has a memory. You should burn your soy candle for 1 hour for each inch of its diameter, until you receive a full melt pool (soy wax is melted across the entire top of soy candle). For example: a soy candle 3" in diameter should be burned for three hours to establish its memory. This allows your soy candle to get its full melt pool which will increase the scent throw of the soy candle. If a soy candle isn't given a proper memory burn, especially on the first burn, it will cause your soy candle to burn in a tunnel down the center and you will not get a good scent throw from the candle.
Small to medium candles will almost never be able to fill a whole (large sized) room with fragrance. (for example a 14oz candle would be appropriate for a 20 X 20 room, any room bigger would require a larger candle in order for the desired scent distribution.)
If your candle has been burning for at least an hour and you still don't feel your soy candle is fragrant, try leaving the room (or walking outside to fresh air) with it burning then coming back in. It could be that you are just used to the scent so you cant smell it. You could also try putting your soy candle in a bathroom with the door closed. Walk in later to see if you can smell it. If you can, then that is a good sign that it's not the candle, its the burning conditions. Small to medium sized soy candles can be very fragrant when burned in appropriate conditions and in appropriate sized rooms.
Drafts and/or extreme temperature changes can cause your candle to burn uneven and the fragrance will disperse leaving a poor aroma. Please try moving your soy candle to a draft-free location if you experience uneven burning.
Also you will want to make certain there is enough air circulation around your soy candle (do not burn candles in a tight area such as on a bookshelf as there will not be enough air circulation, causing a lack of oxygen needed for the candle to burn appropriately). You will not get a good aroma.
We pride ourselves on our wonderful smelling candles, and add to them the maximum amount of fragrance oils that soy wax will hold.
+Soy Candle Burn Time for Glass Containers
Please remember 'safety first' when burning a glass container soy candle. You should never burn any candle for more than the recommended time specified by the manufacture. At MACC, we would suggest that any candle in a glass container should be burnt for no more than 2 to 3 hours at a time, and then allowed to cool completely before re-lighting. Burning a soy candle for longer than the recommended time could cause the glass to become over-heated and crack! This could result in hot wax leaking from the cracked glass. Please use caution when burning any candle.
+Did you know that Soy Candles Have a Memory?
When you light your soy candle for the very first time, it is important to remember that it has a memory. You should burn your soy candle for 1 hour for each inch of its diameter, until you receive a full melt pool (soy wax is melted across the entire top of soy candle). For example: a soy candle 3" in diameter should be burned for three hours to establish its memory. This allows your soy candle to get its full melt pool which will increase the scent throw of the soy candle. If a soy candle isn't given a proper memory burn, especially on the first bury, it will cause your soy candle to burn in a tunnel down the center and you will not get a good scent throw from the candle.
+Soy Wax Characteristics
Soybean wax is a natural product and is created from soya beans and other natural botanical ingredients. Candles created from soybean wax are beautiful. They naturally have a frosting throughout the wax and often times, on the surface. Frosting on soy candles does not affect the burn of the candle and is harmless. When working with soybean wax (natural wax), you will have natural characteristic that are unavoidable without putting additives in the wax. MACC does not add to the soy wax. It is most noticeable in jar candles that have used dye (colored wax). Each different fragrance may also cause discoloration in natural waxes. This is a natural process of the wax absorbing the fragrance. It is also a beautiful reminder of your pure soy wax product. After each burn you may get a ring of a different color around your soy candle. Once again, this is perfectly normal and does not, in any way, affect the burn or the fragrance capabilities of your wonderful soy candle.
+Keep Your Wicks Trimmed & Centered
Wicks that are not centered can cause your soy candle to burn unevenly. You must always keep your wick centered. If you find that the wick is no longer burning in the center of the container you will need to extinguish the soy candle with your wick dipper and then while using your wick dipper put the wick back to the center position while the soy wax is still soft. Also please make sure your wick is centered each time you extinguish your candle. Drafts and/or extreme temperature changes can cause your candle to burn uneven. Please try moving your soy candle to a draft-free location if you experience uneven burning.
Using a wick trimmer, always keep the wick trimmed to 1/4" before lighting your soy candle. If you do not have a wick trimmer, you may use a tissue to pinch off the wick to the correct size. Please be careful not to trim your wick too short, as the flame will drown when the soy wax melts around the wick. This will cause your wick to drown out. By extinguishing your wick using our wick dipper, you are coating the wick with wax each time. This wax coating helps protect your wicks and keeps your soy candle from smoking (as it does when blown out). When a candle is blown out the smoke attach's to the warm jars causing a soot.
+Soot and Soy Candles
You will find that no candle can be completely soot free, but soy wax candles create much less soot and more importantly none of the toxins found in paraffin candles. Black soot is caused by a wick that is smoking (in most soy candles this is typically caused by the wick being left un-trimmed!) Natural candles are a little more trouble to care for wicks, but it is so worth the effort to know you are breathing cleaner air than when burning paraffin candles.
If you are experiencing soot with your soy candle, make sure that you trim the wick to 1/4" each time before you light your soy candle. Second, make sure that you are not burning your soy candle in a draft. Drafts will make your candle flame flicker which causes smoke. Please make certain that when you trim your wick you use our wick trimmers to catch the debris as you should never leave the trimmings in the candle wax. Our wick trimmers have a convenient tray that catches the trimmings as it cuts the wick. Wick trimmings will cause black soot. Also you will want to make certain there is enough air circulation around your soy candle (do not burn candles in a tight area such as on a bookshelf as there will not be enough air circulation, causing a lack of oxygen needed for the candle to burn appropriately).
+Wax Tarts/Maddi Melts
Wax tarts/Maddi Melts™ should be melted in a tart warmer. NEVER add water to the soy melts. Wax tarts/melts can be reused many times with wonderful fragrance. Once you can no longer smell the fragrance, pour the melted wax in a trash receptacle.
Additional Information on Candle Safety
