|
Candles: |
25
Storage, Use and Safety Tips |
| 1. |
Always
store candles in a cool, dark, dry place.
They should be stored flat to prevent warping. |
| 2. |
Keep
candles away from direct exposure to bright outdoor light
and indoor spotlights to prevent fading. |
| 3. |
Refrigerate
candles before using them, and they will burn more slowly
and evenly. Wrap
them in plastic or foil before refrigerating them to prevent
the wicks from absorbing moisture. |
| 4. |
Before
a party or wedding, light and extinguish the candles.
They’ll light more quickly and easily later. |
| 5. |
Keep
candlewicks trimmed to one-fourth inch in length. |
| 6. |
When
relighting a candle, never straighten the wick.
It should be cured to burn properly. |
| 7. |
If
a wick has become too short to light, carve away enough wax
to expose the fresh wick, then trim one-fourth inch off the
top of the candle and burn the candle to reform its
appearance. (Tapers
are an exception to this rule. |
| 8. |
Keep
wax pool free of wick trimmings or other foreign matter that
might present a fire hazard. |
| 9. |
Remove
any label from the bottom of votive and pillar candles
before using. |
| 10. |
Remove
the metal tabs or clips from the bottom of votive
candleholders before adding other candles. |
| 11. |
Add
one-eighth inch of water to glass votive candleholders
before inserting the candle to lessen the chance of breakage
and to make the holder easier to clean. |
| 12. |
If
the flame of a votive, pillar, or container candle seems too
small and is “drowning” in wax, extinguish it and pour
the excess liquefied wax into a lined wastebasket. |
| 13. |
Keep
candles out of drafts to prevent rapid and uneven burning,
smoking, and excessive dripping.
With wax candles, “dripless” is a misnomer and
precautions should always be taken. |
| 14. |
Candles
may drip when burned inside glass shades, globes, or lamps
due to the degree of heat that can develop inside.
Provide ventilation at the base by slightly raising
the glass; a penny works fine. |
| 15. |
Candles,
especially tapers, burned close to one another will affect
each other’s burning quality due to the combined heat.
Keep this in mind when creating decorative
arrangements. Tapes
should be placed at least three inches apart. |
| 16. |
Extinguish
candles when they burn down to within two inches of their
holders or decorations.
With jar, votive, and other container candles,
discontinue use when one half-inch of wax remains to prevent
heat damage to surfaces and the container itself. |
| 17. |
When
extinguishing candles, blow them out gently to avoid
splattering liquefied wax, or use a snuffer.
When blowing out a taper, hold your finger in front
of the flame and blow at it.
The air will flow around your finger and extinguish
the candle from both sides. |
| 18. |
If
an off-center wick is causing the candle to burn unevenly,
simply move the extinguished wick to the center with a metal
spoon handle while the wax is still soft. |
| 19. |
Clean
solid candles with a piece of nylon or use a touch of salad
oil on a soft cloth. |
| 20. |
To
remove wax from washable fabrics, scrape off excess wax and
run boiling water through the material.
Or place a towel over the wax and run a hot iron on
top of the towel; wax will be absorbed into the towel. |
| 21. |
Remove
wax from candleholders by running very hot water (or by
pouring boiling water) over them. |
| 22. |
Always
burn candles in or on proper candleholders or bases and
place then on protected, noncombustible, heat resistant
surfaces. |
| 23. |
Keep
lighted candles out of the reach of children and pets. |
| 24. |
Avoid
burning candles near combustible materials. |
| 25. |
Never
leave a burning candle unattended. |
|
Information
courtesy of the National Candle Association and the A.I.
Root Company
Published in Florists Review – May 1999
|