Before Lighting:
-Before burning, always trim the wick to ¼ inch. You can use a wick trimmer, nail clippers, or scissors. Long or crooked wicks can cause uneven burning, dripping, flaring and/or excess soot or black smoke.
-Keep the wax pool clear of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.
-Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use. It should be heat resistant, sturdy, and large enough to contain any drips or melted wax.
-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 and keep the flame burning steadily in the center of the candle.
-Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on burn time and proper use. In general, it is recommended that candles do not burn for longer than four hours and cool for at least two hours before relighting, exceeding this could cause safety issues.
-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. Extinguish all candles when you leave a room or before going to sleep.
-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. Follow the 2-foot rule. Don't place a burning candle within 2 feet of clothing, books, curtains, or other flammable objects.
-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.
-Always read and follow the manufacturers' directions for use and safety, and extinguish a candle if the flame gets too close to the candle holder or container.
-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 three inches apart from one another. This is to make sure 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 sources of light 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.
When Extinguishing a Candle:
-Use a candle snuffer to extinguish a candle. It’s the safest way to prevent hot wax from splattering.
-Never use water to extinguish a candle. Water can cause the hot wax to splatter and might break a glass container.
-Make sure the candle is completely out and the wick ember is no longer glowing before leaving the room.
-Don’t touch or move the candle until it has completely cooled.
-Never use a knife or sharp object to remove wax drippings from a glass holder. It might scratch, weaken, or cause the glass to break upon subsequent use.
Candle Safety Tips For Pet Owners
-Ventilate Your Home Regularly:
-Pets can be quite sensitive to the scent of candles and wax melts, and some may just stay away from rooms where they’re being burned completely. If you’re using scented candles, be sure to air out the room or rooms you burn them in regularly, especially just after use. This will make the environment more comfortable and neutrally scented for your pets.
Keep Candles Away from Cages:
-If you have small animals like hamsters or birds that you keep in cages, don’t burn candles next to or near their cage. This traps them in fumes that could irritate their sensitive airways and make them sick. It would be safer to burn candles in another room altogether or place your small pet’s cage in another room while you do so.
Keep Candles Out of Reach:
-Never leave a candle alone with your pets due to the risk of fire hazards and your pet potentially getting burned. avoid placing candles on low furniture or anywhere your pet could knock them over or try to play with them. Instead, place the candle in an area your pet cannot get to but that you can see clearly.
-Cover your candle with a lid once you’ve blown it out to reduce the fumes and soot that get into the air and reduce the risk of your pet consuming the wax.