First things first: burning candles is great! They are cosy, calming, romantic, homely and warm. Yes, well hot may be the better word as the wax can get up to 80 °C/176°F and the flame is about 1,400 °C/2,550 °F (!). So no surprise, it could cause some serious safety problems. According to the NFPA 3% of house fires are sadly caused by candles.
To make sure you are not one of this 3% (or even lower the number!) we’ve made a short list to keep in mind when burning candles safely.
1. Keep away from children and/or pets
As children and pets do not know the dangers of a candle, or even completely understand the worth of your lives and home, keep your candles in a place that they can’t reach.
2. Keep away from flammable objects, drafts and vibrations
Keeping your candles in a spot thats free of flammable objects, drafts and vibrations will lower the chance of the flame catching something and setting it on fire. Plus, make sure you burn your candle on a level, fire resistant surface and in a heat resistant container.
3. Always burn within sight
Just so you can keep an eye on it and when it does catch fire you’re there to stop it before it gets out of control.
4. Take care of your candle
Make sure you always trim wick(s) to 5 mm or 1/8th inch before burning to keep the flame at a safe size. Next to that, keep the wax free of foreign objects like matches and wick trimmings that can cause sparks or soot.
Just some things to keep in mind and keep your mind at ease.
Thanks for reminding me that I need to put my candle products away from my pets’ reach. My cat is really playful and he’s the reason why I haven’t bought candles in the past. Maybe I should just be extra careful this time before I buy Moroccan candle lantern products that I can use indoors.