Candle Making Safety
We take the matter of safety, as it pertains to candle making, very seriously here at SA Candle supply and want to share some great tips with you to help keep you safe on your maker’s journey.
Making of candles is a generally safe process, when the right precautions are followed but like any other process, anything can still happen. Candle making deals with heat sources, melted wax and a lot of times flames – many items to exercise caution and care with during the process.
1. Safety equipment
It is always important to take precautionary steps before starting any project.
Wear appropriate clothing during candle making. Closed shoes, long pants & an apron will help avoid burns in the case of spill of any wax.
Have a fire extinguisher handy. Wax when melted should be treated like an oil/grease – using water to extinguish oil/grease fires can lead to splattering and burning.
Have a first aid kit handy in case of any injuries or seek medical assistance.
2. Candle making equipment
One of the best ways to stay safe in any task is using the correct equipment.
- Melting wax in a double boiler will help with not overheating or burning your wax and assist with the heat being more evenly distributed throughout your wax.
- Use a wick place holder to keep the wick in pace when pouring the wax and while the candles are cooling to prevent the wick moving around in the setting wax.
- Take time to read all the product information that is available. This will help you make the correct decisions for you to start testing to make the best candles.
- Always inspect your vessels for defects, little chips or cracks. These little imperfections can cause structural issues in the vessel once heated, making a once safe vessel unsafe for candle use.
3. Keep things tidy
Having a clean & tidy workspace is very important to making and testing candles safely.
- When working from your kitchen make sure to clean & disinfect the work surface before and after candle making.
- Consider laying out newspaper to work on that can help catch wax & fragrance spills. This will make the clean-up process easier.
- Ensure a well-ventilated area by opening doors and windows.
Here are some additional tips you can add to your social pages as well as website.
- Have at least a 30cm of clear space around your burning candle.
- Always burn a candle on an even, fire-safe surface.
- Don’t place candles in an area with a draft or close to curtains/blinds
- Never leave burning candles close to plants, décor, fabrics, or paper
- Make sure to trim wick 0.5mm before lighting. Do not leave the trimmed wick and match sticks in the candle. This can cause a fire
- Do not burn a candle past the last cm. Once you see the sustainer (the silver piece that holds the wick) discontinue burning. The sustainer heats up with the wax and can lead to the jar cracking.
- Never leave a candle un-attended, burn within sight & extinguish after use and before going to bed.
- Keep candles out of reach of pets and children.
- Keep candle away from flammable liquids, the flame can ignite the fumes.
- Avoid carrying a lit candle and don’t use candlelight to search for items in cupboards.
Lastly
Always have an industry standard warning label on the bottom of all candle products and have the warning available on your website. Specify on the label the type of wax you are using to make your candles with. I.e., pure soy, soy-paraffin blend etc. Always have the fill weight on your candle label.
Stay safe, and CANDLE ON!
