Candles are a living light. They must be cared for and, as an open fire, constantly watched over.
Do not place burning candles too close together or on top of each other.
No debris should be left in the pool of melted wax around the wick.
Draughts cause the candles to drip and burn unevenly, so avoid them if possible.
If a candle burns unevenly, carefully push the wick toward the less burnt side with an old matchstick.
Never bend or break a cold wick. Trimming the wick to 5-6 mm before lighting assures longer burning life.
If possible, keep candles burning until all the wax is melted across the top. This is important especially for the first time as it makes the candle last longer. It also helps avoid a growing ring of unburnt wax hiding the flame.
If the unburnt rim of the candle grows too high, it may be cut off while still warm and soft. This happens especially with decorated candles; they need to be trimmed regularly. Remove remainders of decorations and dirt from the melted wax.
Do not blow out candles; use a matchstick to dip the wick into the melted wax, then straighten it again.
This text is based on information from www.bougies-raemy.ch and www.homestolove.com.au.
7.2.2020 RF