Scented candles are costly and the only way to get the most out of it is to ensure they burn down to the last drop of the wax. The only way to can ensure this is to learn how to fix candle tunneling.
Candle tunneling equals to waste of good wax. It’s the one thing that shortens your candle life dramatically. You do not want your lovely scented candles to become useless like this. They should burn evenly.
Reasons For Candle Tunneling
If you know why it happens, it will be easier to take preventive measures. These are the reasons why you face the problem in the first place:
- Long or crooked wick.
- Your candle is burning too hot for a longer time.
- There is a wind where the candle is burning.
- Not allowing the candle to burn long enough for the first burn.
- Soot and smoke.
There are some easy fixes and you should try them to become a wax wizard!
How To Make Candles Burn Evenly?
When they burn evenly, there won’t be a ring of wax surrounding the wick.
To burn the candle, the whole way through evenly, you must prevent candle tunneling.
Here are some tips to follow to get the most out of your scented candles:
- Quality
Do not settle for the cheap. Most cheap candles come with low-quality wax and wicks. Candle tunneling is very common to them. If the candle wax is not great, you will have a bad burn from the start.
You should get your scented candles made with premium wax and wicks. You can a clean burn only from the premium grade candles. They cost more but you will get the best value.
- Wicks Count
For a leveled burn, your candle should come with more than 1 wick. For obvious reason, premium-grade candles come with 2 or 3 wicks to ensure their even burn.
- Pay Special Attention To The Top Layer
If you just light your candle and assume that it will burn evenly, it may not happen always. You need to make sure the top portion melts on the first burn. You should not blow the candle out until the top portion melts entirely.
You will most likely face the tunneling problem if you don’t let it burn long enough the first you burn it. Ideally, it should be at least 4 hours at a stretch. So, don’t light it if you are in a rush.
During the first burn, you must ensure the candle has formed the wax pool wide enough to reach the edge of the container. The initial wax pool during the first burn determines how evenly your candle gonna burn.
This is the most effective way to make candles burn evenly! Also, make sure you trim it right (¼th inch) before you light it. Avoid a bad start by all means!
- The Aluminum Foil Technique
This method will help to melt the stubborn side wax and it’s an easy technique to follow. You should exercise extra care to avoid burning yourself.
This is what you should do…
Light your candle and wrap the aluminum foil around the top of it. It is almost like making a domed lid with a hole at the top. That way the heat will stay in and hopefully melt the rim of the stubborn wax at the sides.
- Use The Oven!
If the aluminum foil method sounds daunting and you are wondering how to fix candle tunneling without foil, you can still achieve the same objective with your oven. This method will only work only if you have a slightly tunneled candle.
Put the tunneled candle inside the oven. Set it at 175°F and let it bake for around 5 minutes. Or depending on your oven, set the temperature and time in a manner you think will be enough just to melt the wax.
Within 4 to 5 minutes, the surface of the candle should start to level out. But make sure the vessel does not get disrupted.
You can achieve the same result with a blow dryer too instead of the oven. However, you will find the oven much easier and effective than your blow dryer.
- Enclosed Location
Place your candle in a non-breezy enclosed location. No matter how good your candle is, the wind will make the candle burn quickly and most possibly, unevenly.
A great way to make your candles last a long time and burn evenly is to light them in an enclosed location.
Best Usages of Unburned Wax
Instead of just throwing them out, you can still enjoy the scent from your unused wax. You will be needing some extra instruments for that. Have a look!
- Get a Candle Warmer
You can still enjoy the heartwarming scent of your candles with any flames! Sometimes, you no longer can light your candle. A candle warmer which is nothing but an electric heater is your rescue in such a case.
It will simply melt your candles that can no longer be lit and release the scent.
- Get a Tea Light Oil Burner
Place your unusable wax on the top of your burner. Now, place a lit tea light at the base of the burner and let the flame to heat. The wax will melt eventually and you will get the scent!
Conclusion
Since you know how to fix candle tunneling now, does it sound like high maintenance? If it does, you are not wrong. If you want to avoid the high maintenance, go for the premium-grade candles.
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