Candle Care: How to Get the Most Out of Every Candle
Candle care has always had a permanent home on our website, but we wanted to give it the space it deserves with a proper deep dive. A few small habits make the difference between a candle that burns evenly for fifty hours and one that tunnels, smokes, or burns out early. Here's everything you need to know to get the best experience out of every candle- DEHV or not!
1. Nail the First Burn
Your first burn matters more than any other. When you light a new candle for the first time, let it burn for 3–4 hours, or until the melted wax reaches all the way to the edges of the vessel.
This first burn essentially sets a "memory" for the candle, the wax pool depth it establishes will repeat itself in every burn after. Stop too early, and you risk tunneling: a narrow well forms down the center while wax builds up untouched along the sides, wasting product and shortening your candle's life.
One important note: don't exceed 4 hours of burn time without trimming the wick. Even on the first burn, the wick still needs maintenance.
2. Trim the Wick Before Every Burn
This is the single most overlooked step in candle care, and the one that makes the biggest difference.
A wick that's too long can't draw wax up efficiently. Instead of burning the wax, it ends up burning itself leading to a larger, smokier flame, soot buildup on the vessel, and a shorter overall burn time.
Trim your wick to about 1/4 inch before every single burn. It takes ten seconds and dramatically improves both the quality and longevity of the burn.
3. Keep It Out of Drafts
Where you place your candle matters as much as how you maintain it. Airflow from fans, open windows, air vents, or even foot traffic through a room can cause the flame to flicker and move unevenly.
That movement leads to uneven melting, increased soot, and a faster, less efficient burn. Find a stable spot away from direct airflow before lighting.
4. Never Leave It Unattended
This one's non-negotiable. Always keep a lit candle within sight, and make sure it's out of reach of children, pets, and anything flammable: curtains, papers, decor. If you're leaving the room for an extended period, extinguish it first.
5. Know When to Stop
It's tempting to burn a candle all the way down, but stop once there's about a quarter inch of wax left. Burning past that point causes the vessel to overheat.
When you reach that point, scoop out any remaining wax and get ready for the best part: repurposing your vessel.
6. Burn on a Stable Surface
Always place your candle on a steady, flat surface- never anything that could tip, wobble, or sit too close to the edge of a table or shelf.
7. Savor the Moment
This one isn't a safety tip, it's a reminder. A candle is one of the simplest ways to shift the feeling of a room. Once it's lit, take a beat to actually notice it: the scent, the light, the atmosphere it creates. That's the entire point.
The Short Version
Trim the wick. Burn long enough to avoid tunneling. Keep it away from drafts. Never walk away while it's lit. Stop before the wax runs out. By following these seven habits, every candle will burn cleaner, last longer, and deliver the experience it was designed for.