Candle Care 101: Burn Tips & Safety from Ninth House Studio

Candle Tips & Tricks

Because great candles deserve great habits

Let’s make sure your new favourite flame lives up to the hype. Whether you’re setting the mood or just taking the edge off a Tuesday, these simple tips will help your candle burn cleaner, throw better, and last longer.

No PhD in fire required—just a little care, a decent wick trimmer, and this handy guide.

How to Use it:

  • Trim your wick: Every. Single. Time. Before lighting, trim the wick to about ¼ inch. For wood wicks, snap or clip off the charred bits—this keeps the flame in check and helps it burn smooth. 

  • First burn = most important: Let the wax melt all the way to the edges on the first go. This helps prevent tunnelling (that sad little sinkhole in the centre) and sets the stage for even burns every time.

    PS! A little wax hang up on the sides is normal for a fresh candle and will level out as you burn down but try to keep it to around ¼ inch!

  • Keep the wax clean: No dust, no wick bits, no rogue fuzzies. A tidy candle is a happy candle.

  • Set a burn limit: Let it go for 2–4 hours at a time. Burning longer can overheat the jar and mess with the scent. Consider this your candle’s version of a lunch break.

Relighting Tips:

  • Let it cool completely before trimming and relighting. And if your flame’s struggling to stay lit, it probably needs a little trim—not a full-blown rescue mission.

When it's Done:

  • Stop at the ½ inch mark: Seriously—once there’s only half an inch of wax left, it’s time to say goodbye. Burning past this point risks overheating the glass.

  • Reuse the jar: Once cooled, clean out the jar and give it a second life. Makeup brushes, matches, Q-tips, paper clips... go wild.

Where to Burn it:

  • Pick a safe, flat surface away from windows, fans, heaters, or anything flammable. And never leave a lit candle unattended (your future self will thank you).

Safety stuff (read this part):

  • Never burn near anything that could catch fire. Keep out of reach of pets and littles. Don’t move a candle while it’s lit or the wax is hot.

  • Yes, our candles are clean-burning—but open flame is still open flame!