Fall Candle Care: How to Prevent Tunneling

by Local Candle Business

Fall is a popular time for candlelight and cozy nights in, which means dusting off your candle collection. You might notice that some have developed a deep “tunnel” around the wick, making it difficult to light. Tunneling also shortens the life of your candle as only the wax in the centre of the candle will burn down.

Here are a few easy ways to prevent or fix tunneling so you can enjoy your favourite candles this season:

Prevention

When you light a candle for the first time, allow it to burn long enough to melt all the way to the edges of the candle jar. This ensures an even burn for the duration of your candle’s life as wax has a “memory” so to speak. The first burn sets the tone for subsequent burns and will help you get the most burn-time out of your new candle.

If you find that your candles are constantly tunneling, despite letting the wax melt to the edges of the jar, consider buying higher quality candles. Most candles on the market are made of paraffin wax (a toxic byproduct of petroleum) and are more predisposed to tunneling. Higher grade waxes like coconut, soy, or beeswax burn cleaner, longer, and more evenly.

The Fix

If you have an old candle that’s already tunneling, here are two easy ways to fix it:

1. Set your oven to 80°C (176°F) then remove anything flammable from your candle, such as labels or string. Once the oven is hot, place your candle on a baking tray for five minutes. This should heat the entire surface of the wax, making it smooth. With oven mitts, remove the candle and let it cool before lighting it.
2. Wrap aluminum foil around the top of your candle and angle it inwards like a dome. Ensure that the flame is far enough away from the foil and that there is still a hole to vent air. The foil will help the wax to heat up evenly. Keep a careful eye on your candle until the top layer of wax has melted, leaving a smooth surface, then remove the foil.

With these easy steps, you can enjoy your candles this season without any tunneling. If this article helped you, be sure to share it with a friend or loved one.