One of the biggest complaints about candles of all kinds is in regards to the soot that can be produced by them. There are a variety of ways to greatly reduce the amount of soot coming from your candles which will also help them to burn better. Today I will share some of these candle burning tips with you to help you have a better experience with you candles and save money. Lets first understand what causes soot from a candle flame.
What Causes Candle Soot
Soot from a candle is caused when there is incomplete combustion of the fuel. This can be caused by a number of factors. Two of those factors are the balance between the wax and wick in the candle and disturbing the candle flame. The fuel to the candle flame is the liquid wax which is being drawn up through the wick. Once the flame of the candle has started drawing the liquid candle wax up the wick, it does so at a steady rate. When the candle flame is disturbed the size of the flame changes and the amount of fuel being used is no longer consistent. When too much fuel is presented to the flame it is not all burned. The excess fuel is put off in the form of soot.
Avoid Burning Candles in Drafty Areas
Burning candles in a drafty area such as near an open window, air duct, or fan will cause your candle to put off a large amount of soot. When something causes the candle flame to bounce around the size of candle flame changes. A steady flame will use a consistent amount of fuel. A wick that is bouncing around will draw fuel up the wick at a variable rate, sometimes too much, other times, not enough. When a large amount of fuel is drawn into the wick and then the flame size shrinks, not all the fuel is burned. The extra oil is expelled as soot into the air.
Use Open Bottom Hurricanes and Vases
Many event locations, where candles are used for decoration, require that the candle flame not be exposed above the top of an enclosure. This could mean the flame of your votive candle must be below the top edge of the glass or that pillars and taper candles need to be in tall cylinders or hurricanes. At first this sounds like a good idea to also keep the draft away from your candles, and it is. However, using a closed bottom cylinder or vase can create problems of its own. Fire needs and uses oxygen to burn. When you have a candle down inside of a container the oxygen is quickly used up and more is needed for the flame to continue burning. Naturally, more air is sucked into the container through the top but at the same time the warm air heated by the candle flame is trying to get out. This fight between the warm and cold air causes turbulence (a draft) in the container which causes the candle flame to dance and produce soot. The best way around this problem is to use a cylinder or hurricane vase that is open on both ends. Raise the container up off the table about a half inch using something that can spaced apart so air can get in through the bottom. For my test I used 3 stacks of coins, which I am not recommending you use, but to give an example of what I mean.
Put Candle Cappers On Jar Candles
If you are burning a jar candle with an opening of about 3″ you can purchase a candle capper for less than $4.00. Obviously there is nothing you can do about the jar having a closed bottom but these jar cappers will help regulate the air flow in and out of the jars and reduce sooting. Jars will usually produce more and more soot the further down into the glass they burn. This is because the flame is getting farther and farther away from the fresh source of oxygen. Here is a video that demonstrates how these jar caps work.
Trim The Wicks
The easiest way to reduce the amount of soot from a candle is to keep the wicks trimmed. I recommend starting with about a 1/4″ wick for the first lighting. If after a few minutes the candle flame looks too big or is bouncing around (while not in a draft) you should trim the wick a little shorter. Keep an eye on your lit candles, they should never be left burning unattended. If your candle has been burning for a long time the wicks may need to be trimmed again. Don’t be afraid to blow a candle out, trim the wick and relight it.
Purchase Quality Candles
Make sure you are getting a well made candle. A well made quality candle doesn’t mean expensive, it means well made. Anyone can melt some wax through a string in it and call it a candle. Is it a candle? Yes. Will it burn? Maybe. Should you spend your hard earned money on it? Probably not. The internet is full of pages on which people are selling candles. Google search term candles, currently there are 165,000,000 results. An experienced candle maker will know how to match the wick size, wax type, fragrance, and candle size to produce a great burning candle.
Conclusion
Use these tips to get the most value and the best burn out of your candles.
U.S. Candle Company Blog 
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Hello! I am venturing into the world of candle making and was wondering who I could talk to about some concerns going in. I am used to getting a lot of delay whenever I inquire about a project but this is a passionate one of mine and I am trying to reduce trial and error.
I am hoping to make a beeswax candle using honeysuckle made from the wood which I will sand down. I am concerned about the wick type and what sort of container would be best.
It will be placed high enough on a corner wall shelf for pets not to get near it and the purpose of the candle is meant to act as a relaxant for easily stressed rescue cats. Honeysuckle has a great effect on some cats.
I am hoping to minimize ceiling damage as well. The candle will be burned regularly and I plan to make them consistently. I know sawdust and beeswax aren’t typical or are candles burned for a longer period of time. I am a novice and would just like some friendly advice. Any suggestions would be helpful! Thanks.
Hi Lea,
That is a great question, unfortunately we don’t deal with beeswax at all. Plus by adding the wood, you will be changing the way the beeswax and wick work together. Your best bet is to get a few different wicks and start testing them out.
Hello,
Can you please give some recommendations for good candle brands that does not leave soot on the wick.
it seems expensive candle does not equal good quality and soot free.
thank you
Hi, you will never find a candle that is totally soot free. The fact that there is fire means there will be some soot. There are some candles that soot less than others because they are made better but a candle will always have some soot. Making sure your wick is trimmed each time and not allowed to get too long while burning will help, as well as keeping the flame out of drafty areas.
hello is there a wick your recommend on using that you know of less soot
The main thing with the wick to reduce soot is making sure that it isn’t too heavy/thick. If the flame is too big then you get a lot of soot. Keeping the wick trimmed to the proper length before each burn will also help. There isn’t 1 wick that necessarily soots less than others, it is a combination of the wick, wax, and fragrance that have to be balanced correctly.
This is the most helpful candle burning information ever! …has solved my problems; thanks!