Lift the wick straight and ensure it’s as central as possible. If the wick drifts during burning, centering the candle wick by moving it while the wax is still soft – but not hot. Why center the wick on a candle? Because it promotes an even, clean burn.

Why trim candle wicks at all? Trimming a candle prevents sooty wick debris, so knowing how to trim a candle wick is the skill for keeping your candles burning for longer. When trimming candle wick, you want at least ¼ of an inch left. Use a wick trimmer or sharp scissors to do this.

Cleaning candle debris prevents unpleasant smells caused by burning dust particles. Dust can usually be picked off with your fingers without causing damage to the candle.

It’s finally time to light a candle! Knowing how to light a new candle becomes simpler by learning how to use a candle lighter. Candle lighters are long, thin, and allow you to reach wicks in any candle holder.

Lighting a candle involves lighting your candle lighter, touching it to the wick, then moving it away as soon as a small flame develops.

Knowing how to burn a candle evenly keeps your candles looking fabulous for longer. Burning a candle evenly means:

• Don’t tip it while burning
• Avoid placing it in drafts
• Ensure surfaces are flat
• Burn your candle for 2-3 hours max

When you burn candles evenly, you get a better fragrance throw.

Many people wonder how to make candles smell stronger. You can increase candle smell by:

• Raising candles so fragrance doesn’t just spread around the bottom of the room
• Having a low-speed fan at the opposite side of the room – this won’t disturb the flame but will distribute the fragrance
• Ensuring candles are extinguished properly

How long can a candle burn? In theory, you can burn a candle for how long it says on the packaging. Ideally, burn your candle for 2-3 hours, and extinguish it when you leave the room.

Figuring out how to clean a candle that’s got sooty or has dust trapped in it saves a lot of candles from being thrown away. You can wipe a candle with a warm, dust-free cloth, or simply remove dust and debris by hand.

Our candle care instructions will help you make the most of your candles for many burns to come. You can also try:

• Caring for candles you’re not using by repackaging them and putting them in a clean cupboard
• Dusting or wiping candle holders
• Burn fragranced candles within a year of purchase to prevent fragrances from fading