There’s nothing quite like the warm glow and inviting scent of a premium candle filling your space. But if you’ve ever felt like your favorite candle burned too quickly, you’re not alone.
With proper candle care, you can significantly extend burn time, improve fragrance performance, and enjoy a cleaner, more even burn from start to finish.
At Beverly’s Candle Co., we hand-pour every candle using premium wax blends designed for a clean, long-lasting burn. Even the highest-quality candles, however, perform best when they’re burned correctly. Below are our expert candle care tips to help your candles burn beautifully from the first light to the last flicker.
1. Trim Your Wick Before Every Burn (¼-Inch Rule)
This is the single most important thing you can do to extend your candle's life. Before lighting your candle, trim the wick to about ¼ inch. A longer wick creates a larger, hotter flame that burns through wax faster and can cause smoking or uneven burning.
Pro tip: Use a wick trimmer or nail clippers for a clean cut. Do this every time you light your candle, even if you just blew it out a few hours ago.
2. Allow a Full Melt Pool on the First Burn
The first burn is critical. When you light a new candle for the first time, let it burn long enough for the entire top layer of wax to melt all the way to the edges of the container. This usually takes 2-4 hours depending on candle size.
Why does this matter? Candles have a "memory." If you blow out your candle before the wax pool reaches the edges, it will continue to tunnel down the center on future burns, wasting wax around the sides and shortening your candle's life.
Our recommendation: For our 7oz candles, aim for a 2-3 hour first burn. For our 12.5oz candles, plan for 3-4 hours.
3. Avoid Over-Burning (4-Hour Rule)
While you want a full melt pool, you also don't want to burn your candle for too long in one session. We recommend burning candles for no more than 4 hours at a time. Burning longer can cause the wick to mushroom, the container to overheat, and the fragrance to dissipate faster.
After 4 hours, extinguish your candle, let it cool completely, trim the wick, and relight when you're ready.
4. Keep Candles Away from Drafts and Airflow
Airflow from windows, fans, or vents can cause uneven burning, smoking, and rapid wax consumption. Place your candle in a stable location away from drafts for the most even, efficient burn.
Bonus: This also helps your fragrance disperse more evenly throughout the room rather than being blown away.
5. Store Candles Properly
When you're not burning your candles, store them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Heat and UV light can cause discoloration, scent degradation, and even warping of the wax.
Keep the lid on when not in use to protect the wax from dust and preserve the fragrance intensity.
6. Use a Candle Snuffer for a Cleaner Burn
Blowing out a candle might seem harmless, but it can actually cause wax to splatter, the wick to smoke excessively, and fragrance oils to disperse unevenly. A candle snuffer (or even gently dipping the wick into the melted wax with a wick dipper) extinguishes the flame cleanly and helps your candle last longer.
7. Keep the Wax Pool Free of Debris
Occasionally, you might notice debris like wick trimmings or dust in your candle. Remove these carefully with a paper towel or tweezers when the wax is solid to prevent them from catching fire or affecting the burn quality.
8. Know When to Stop Burning for Safety
For safety and performance, stop burning your candle when there's about ½ inch of wax left at the bottom. Burning beyond this point can cause the container to overheat or crack.
What to do with leftover wax: You can repurpose the container, use the remaining wax in a wax warmer, or recycle it responsibly.
Get the Most Out of Every Candle
At Beverly's Candle Co., we're committed to creating candles that deliver exceptional fragrance and a beautiful burn from start to finish. By following these simple care tips, you'll enjoy longer-lasting candles, better scent throw, and a safer, cleaner burn every time.
Whether you're burning one of our bold Gentlemen's Reserve candles, a cozy scent from Bev's Bakery, or a seasonal favorite, these techniques will help you get the absolute most out of your investment.
You’ve invested in a quality candle — now make sure you’re getting the most from it. With proper care, your candles will burn longer, perform better, and maintain a cleaner, more even flame from start to finish.
Ready to put these tips into practice? Explore our full collection of hand-poured candles crafted for a clean, long-lasting burn →
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