General Tips and Tricks

• Always trim your wick to ¼ inch before lighting. Do not trim wick too short or your candle may get flooded and extinguish.
  

• Metal or ceramic lids ("cappers") can help your jar candle burn more evenly.
  

• Upon first use, if you light a jar candle (especially large ones) and blow it out before the wax is allowed to melt to the edge, you will see your candle start to tunnel down the middle.  Instead, wait until you see the wax pool burning evenly all the way around the jar before blowing out your candle. Now your candle has a memory of how to burn correctly and will do so the next time you light it.
  

• Best results are achieved when you burn jar candles for a minimum of 4 hours each time.
  

• Do not burn a candle in a container that is damaged.
  

• Stop burning when there is approximately 1/2 inch of wax remaining in the bottom of the jar.  With jars by Candles by Laura, you can scoop out the remaining wax and put it in your melter, using every last bit.  (Remember to remove the wick first!)
  

• Containers may become very hot, handle with care!
  

• Allow your candle to cool before replacing the lid on the jar.
  

• Container candles & votive containers should be set in a wire holder or on a trivet to protect surfaces from heat. Hot candle jars can damage furniture.  Even tea lights need to be put in an appropriate holder or set on a trivet.
  

• Keeping your wick properly trimmed will eliminate smoke, soot and mushrooming.  It is best to continually trim your wick, light it, let it burn, blow it out, trim the wick and re-light.
  

• Burn your votives like you would a container candle, they are meant to liquefy when burning. Votives will burn best and longer in a close fitting votive holder or candle cup.  Votives by Candles by Laura will burn for 16 hours when placed in a snug holder.
  

• Votive candles will clean easily if you add a few drops of water to the glass before inserting the candle.  DO NOT add more than a few drops of water and DO NOT add water unless you intend to burn the candle immediately afterward.  Over time, a candle wick could absorb the water and no longer burn properly.
  

• Remove wax from holders by placing the candle holder in the freezer for about 15 minutes.  This will allow the wax to shrink and easily pop out when the holder is removed from the freezer.
  

• Jar warmers – jar warmers melt the entire jar of wax at one time.  Because of this, the scent will not last as long as it would if you burned the candle.  If you prefer to go “flameless”, why not recycle your old candle jars by using them to hold tarts in your candle warmer instead.  You will achieve maximum scent from your jar warmer and it is more cost effective than melting an entire 16 oz candle at once.
  

Candle Storage And Safety

• Always store candles in a cool, dark, dry place. 
  

• Never use a knife or a sharp object to remove wax drippings from a glass holder; it might scratch, weaken or cause the glass to break the next time you use it. (I used to do this all the time!)
  

• Keep out of drafts.
  

• Keep away from children and pets. 
  

• Do not move candle while burning or if wax is hot. 
  

• Keep wick centered and trimmed to ¼” – do not allow wick trimmings to drop into the candle, not only is it unsightly, the trimmings could ignite.
  

• Do not overheat tarts, heat only until melted.
  

• Do not allow foreign objects to get into wax.