Hints & Tips

  • To get the best from burn times and benefit from fully burning Soy Wax candles / chunks, please read the following ‘hints’…

    Please make sure that you always place lit candles on a solid non-combustable surface away from breezes and never leave a lit candle unattended.

    Never leave a candle burning for more than 4 hours at a time.

    Always ‘trim’ the wick of candles to approx 6mm (1/4 Inch) before lighting. Almost all of our Dalkey Aromatics candle ranges contain ‘self-trimming’ wicks, but if you notice that the flame is unusually large, this may be as a result of the wick being too large and burn time for the candle will be reduced significantly.

    To get the best from all Dalkey Aromatics candles, you should leave the flame to melt the wax on the top surface almost to the edges of the container. In other words, if you light and quench the flame after 30 minutes or so, the top surface is unlikely to have had a chance to ‘pool’ to release the fragrance contained in the wax. All wax has a ‘memory’ so the next time the wick is lit, the wax will not melt further from the flame than the initial melt. This results in ‘tunneling’ of the wax with the flame just burning downwards and reduced burn times for the candle.*  The ideal initial burn time for our candles is probably 1.5 hours to 2 hours.

 

WOODEN WICK CANDLES (& How to Solve Wooden-Wick Candle Issues )

We have had some reports of issues with our wooden-wick candles, but we have tested these extensively and we can assure customers that they work well if used properly.

Unlike cotton wicks, wooden wicks require a different approach. When lighting a wood wick candle, tilt it at an angle and let the flame draw across the length of the wick, similar to how you tilt a match after lighting it. It might take a few attempts to get the wick lit, so be patient.

 How to Solve Wood Wick Candle Issues:

Wood wick candles offer a unique crackle and flicker, but they can pose challenges if you're not familiar with their characteristics. Here are some common problems and how to fix them:

  1. The Importance of the First Burn: When you first use a wood wick candle, ensure it burns long enough to create a melted wax pool that reaches the container's edge. This might take a few hours, depending on the candle's size. A full melt pool prevents tunneling, a condition where a depression forms around the wick and inhibits proper burning. Allowing this initial melt pool sets a good "wax-memory" pattern and promotes even burning in subsequent uses.
  1. Trimming the Wick: To achieve the best burn, keep the wood wick trimmed to around 1/8 inch (approximately 3mm). Remove any charred bits from previous uses. Remember, the wood isn't what fuels the flame; it's the wax drawn up through the wick. Trimming the wick short and clean ensures proper wax flow to the flame.
  1. Fixing Tunneling: If your candle develops tunneling, there are solutions. First, try giving your candle a long burn until all the wax melts to the jar's edge, resetting the wax memory. If the candle is drowning in a wax pool, use a paper towel or napkin to soak up excess wax, relight the candle, and repeat until the wick has room to breathe.

By following these best practices, your wooden-wick candles should burn evenly and beautifully as intended, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.