MAINTENANCE

First, remove all packaging before lighting. Before lighting candle inspect your candle location making sure it’s the right spot for a burning candle. Always keeping lit candles away from high traffic areas. Keep all matches and lighters out of the reach of children.

Never leave a candle lit in or underneath a cabinet. Allow 4 feet of clearance above. Candles need oxygen. If you burn a candle in a small, confined area it will smoke. So consider the size of your room when you arrange your candles.

Place on a protected, heat-resistant, dry surface, away from anything that can catch fire. Use holders that are designed for the particular candle style.

Never place or burn candles on the kitchen stove.

Always keep out of reach of children and pets. Never leave burning candles unattended. Keep candles within sight at all times. Make sure everyone in the family knows the rules of safe candle use.

From The IGCA – International Guild of Candle Artisans

Candles are safe products, but may become hazardous when used improperly or in an unsafe manner. National fire safety agencies report that the bulk of candle fire incidents in the United States are due to consumer inattention to basic fire safety or to the misuse of candles. The National Candle Association recommends the following safety tips when burning candles:

• Always keep a burning candle within sight. Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or before going to sleep.
• Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc.
• Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets, Do not place lighted candles where they can be knocked over by children, pets or anyone else.
• Read and carefully follow all manufacturer instructions.
• Trim candlewicks to 1/4 inch each time before burning. Long or crooked wicks cause uneven burning and dripping.
• Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use. The holder should be heat resistant, sturdy and large enough to contain any drips or melted wax. Be sure the candleholder is placed on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
• Keep burning candles away from drafts, vents and air currents. This will help prevent rapid, uneven burning, smoking and excessive dripping. Drafts can also blow lightweight curtains or papers into the flame where they could catch fire. Ceiling fans can cause drafts.
• Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.
• Do not burn a candle for longer than the manufacturer recommends.
• Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room.
• Extinguish the flame when it comes too close to the holder or container. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 1/2 inch of wax remains. This will also help prevent possible heat damage to the counter/surface and prevent glass containers from cracking or breaking.
• Never touch or move a votive or container candle when the wax is liquid.
• Extinguish pillar candles if the wax pool approaches the outer edge.
• Candles should be placed at least three inches apart from one another. This is to be sure they don't melt one another, or create their own drafts that will cause the candles to burn improperly.
• Do not extinguish candles with water. The water can cause the hot wax to spatter and can cause glass containers to break.
• Never use a candle as light when you go into a closet to look for things.
• Never use a candle for light when fueling equipment such as a lantern or kerosene heater.

Warning labels for candles don’t often tell “why” these specific actions are needed. We aim to tell you the why. We hope this will produce a more thorough knowledge of candle burning for our customers.

• Always keep wicks trimmed to 1/4” (1/8” for jar candles).

This keeps the flame low which helps prevent sooting and makes the candle burn longer. The flame melts the wax, the liquid wax is what the flame uses as fuel, to keep itself burning. The bigger the flame, the more fuel it needs. Your candles will burn up to 25% longer by trimming the wick every couple of hours.

• Center the wick during the burn and re-center just after putting out the candle.

A lit wick that gets too close to the side of the container will crack the container, liquid wax will leak out. After the candle is put out, moving the wick to the center will insure the candle burns evenly the next time its light. Once the wax hardens it’s too late!

• Keep burning candles away from children and pets.

Children need to know a candle is hot and is not a toy. Children and pets, both curious, may be intrigued by the flickering light. Keep candles far out of reach. Pets can knock the candle over or brush by the flame and could singe the tail and catch fire to themselves or the curtains or, well, you get the idea.

• Keep burning candles away from drafts or ceiling fans.

The flame needs stability. Flames that flicker can cause sooting. Breezes or drafts can cause the flame to burn erratically and cause the flame to not be as hot as it needs to be to burn off all the carbon and thus will produce soot. A nice even steady flame, ideally about 1/2” in height is perfect.

• Never leave the house with a candle still burning.

Would you leave with the oven on, or the iron on, or the coffee pot on, or would you leave a campfire burning and walk out of the woods? If the candle was burning and you left the house, who would trim the wick?

• Do not burn candles (even in holders) directly on furniture.

The candle holder or candle jar will get hot. The heat could mark up your furniture. Try putting it on a coaster, pad, or candle holder.

• Keep burning candles far away from anything flammable.

If the window was open (which it shouldn't be if the candle is nearby) the breeze could blow your curtain right into the flame! Also, think about what is above the candle, like a shelf or cupboard, heat rises.

• If the candle is smoking or sooting, trim the wick.

No one wants soot on their walls or ceiling. Candles left burning for an extended period of time always need the wick trimmed. The smoking or sooting is most likely caused from the flame being too large, trim that wick, often PLEASE.

• Burn candles on sturdy, stable, flat, and level surfaces.

An antique end table in the middle of a high traffic area of the house is not a good place for a flame. It could get bumped into. Candles will burn down evenly if used on level surfaces.

• Let the wax cool and harden before touching or moving the candle.

Liquid wax is very hot and messy. The container will be hot. Don’t make the mistake of moving it and then your hand gets hot and bam! the candle goes down. Or candle wax splashes around in the container, very unsightly.

• If the flame seems too weak, extinguish the candle and pour a little of the liquid wax out (never down the drain).

A candle with a weak flame will tunnel. The candle will burn down but not out. It needs to burn out to use up all of the wax. If you have a tart burner, pour the wax inside there, let nothing go to waste.

• Don’t be a stacker!

If you burn votives, always remove the metal clip that’s left at the bottom when the candle is finished. Don’t stack another votive on top of the wick clip. This will cause the votive candle to burn unevenly and the flame will get to close to the sides and crack the holder.

SAFTEY

Candle Maintenance

At VixWix.com we want our customers to experience the maximum enjoyment and pleasure from our candles. We take great pride in making them using only the finest quality ingredients and materials. However, it’s very important that you maintain and burn candles responsibly to ensure their safe use.

Look at candle burning as a craft, an art form, always searching for the perfect burn. Take pride in your candle burning. Practicing proper candle maintenance will extend the life of your candle. Please follow these guidelines to keep VixWix.com candles burning clean, bright, and safe for hours and hours.

Candle Maintenance – Burning VixWix.com Candles

The first burn is very important. When lighting the candle for the first time, burn the candle until the wax pool reaches no less than 1/4" from the candles outside edge. This will take 2 to 4 hours and helps to prevent side blow outs by building a strong shell around the candle's perimeter.

By not allowing the candle to burn to 1/4" from the outside edge as described above for the first burn, you will create a tunnel and chances are your candle will continue to burn in this same pattern. Wax has memory and will always go back to the original first burn wax pool.

Creating a small wax pool will not allow the candle to burn properly. With less wax burning the scent of the candle will be reduced. Also the walls of the candle will not illuminate as intended, due to thicker candle walls.

After the wax pool has been created, extinguish the flame and allow candle to harden before relighting. Burn candle for only 2-4 hours at a time. Each time you light the candle, make sure it burns long enough for the wax pool to be filled to the edge you created during the first burn.

Keep wicks trimmed to 1/4” at all times. Always trim your wick before lighting. If smoking occurs while burning, your wick is too long, blow out candle. Trim wick, remove trimmings, and relight. Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches, or any combustible material.

Always keep the wick centered. Each time you light the candle make sure the wick is pointed straight up to ensure even burning on all sides. While the candle is burning, you can straighten the wick by taking a metal object like a screw driver and move the wick. Hold candle with other hand. The wax will be soft from the flame, so it won’t take much to move wick. Be very careful. Check candle often.

Keep the burning candle away from drafts. This causes uneven burning and eventually will cause your shell to leak or blow out.

Discontinue use of the candle when 1/2" of wax remains on the bottom of the candle and wax pool. After discontinued, to extend the use of the candle break off wax up to 1" pieces and melt in a tart burner for additional fragrance.

Store your candles in a dry, cool and dark place. Keep away from direct sun light as they can fade.

Burning Tea Lights

Tea Lights are design for a timed burn. Each Tea Light has enough wax for a specific time frame ranging from 2 to 6 hours. Always be aware of your tea light burn time. Do not hold the tea light when lighting, the sides will get hot very quickly! Use a BBQ/Candle lighter that reaches into the burner to light the tea light. If the wick smokes or builds up carbon, extinguish flame and remove the carbon before relighting.

Glass Containers

Handle with care; glass containers are fragile. Avoid glass-to-glass contact when removing or replacing the lid. Do not use if the jar is cracked, chipped or scratched. Do not refill with wax.

Do not allow the flame to touch the side of the container. The container may become hot. Handle carefully. If smoking occurs, check for drafts or high traffic areas, which may cause flame to flicker and smoke. Also, be sure that the wick is no longer than 1/4". If it is, extinguish, trim to 1/4", and relight.

To minimize wax left on the sides of the container, burn 3 hours at a time; it is normal for some wax to be left. The amount will vary per color, fragrance and burning conditions.

Prevent possible heat damage to the counter/surface by discontinuing use when 1/4" of wax remains. Only burn on a suitable holder or any other fire and heat resistant surface. Extinguish carefully before replacing the lid.

DISCLAIMER: VixWix.com (VJA Enterprises Inc.) is not responsible for any damage incurred from any form of misuse or negligence in the use of their products, nor are they responsible for any damage incurred from them. Please be careful and responsible when burning candles.