By Olivēa — hand-poured in Belgium
Stuff happens. Here’s how to solve the most common candle hiccups at home—in seconds—and keep them from coming back.
1) Tunneling (wax sticks to the sides)
What you see: A “crater” down the middle.
Quick fix: Give it one long, supervised burn until the melt reaches the glass edge. You can use a loose foil collar around the rim to hold warmth (never cover the top).
Prevent next time: On the first burn, let it go 2–3 hours for a full melt pool. Keep away from drafts.
2) Big, smoky flame / black smoke
What you see: Tall, dancing flame; soot in the air.
Quick fix: Blow out, trim wick to ~5 mm, relight. Move away from vents/windows.
Prevent next time: Trim every time before lighting and don’t burn longer than 4 hours per session.
3) Weak scent
What you see: Lovely glow, barely any fragrance.
Quick fix: Let it warm 30–45 minutes to “bloom.” Try a smaller room or close windows to limit air churn.
Prevent next time: Burn until you get a full melt pool; avoid drafts.
4) Candle won’t stay lit
What you see: Flame dies after a few seconds.
Quick fix: Make sure the wick is dry/trimmed and the pool is clear of matches or dust. If the top looks “glazed,” scrape a tiny ring of wax from the wick base and relight.
Prevent next time: Store with lid/dust cover and burn at least 1 hour per use to build a stable pool.
5) Wick drowning (flame sinks into melted wax)
What you see: Tiny flame swallowed by liquid wax.
Quick fix: While warm, pour off a teaspoon of liquid wax into a safe container; re-center the wick with a wick dipper/toothpick.
Prevent next time: Start with a 5 mm trim and avoid very short “quick flicks.”
6) “Mushroom” on the wick tip
What you see: Little bulb on the wick after burning.
Quick fix: Trim back to ~5 mm before relighting.
Prevent next time: Shorter, calmer sessions (2–4 hours); keep away from drafts.
7) Soot on the glass
What you see: Grey/black haze on the inside of the jar.
Quick fix: Trim, move away from airflow, and wipe cooled glass with a soft cloth + a drop of rubbing alcohol.
Prevent next time: Keep the wick short; level the candle on a flat, heat-safe surface.
8) Uneven / dancing flame
What you see: Flame constantly leans or flickers.
Quick fix: Trim shorter and move away from vents/fans. Check the surface is perfectly level.
Prevent next time: Burn in a stable, draft-free spot.
9) Frosting (white, cloudy veil on soy)
What you see: Marbled or snowy look on the wax.
Quick fix: A 30–60 min burn often softens the look.
Prevent next time: Totally cosmetic—natural with soy. Performance is unaffected.
10) Wet spots / glass adhesion marks
What you see: Patches where wax looks pulled from the glass.
Quick fix: None needed.
Prevent next time: Store in a cool, dry place; avoid big temperature swings.
11) Bumpy or cracked top after cooling
What you see: Uneven surface once the candle sets.
Quick fix: Next burn, let it reach a full melt pool to self-level. For small dimples, a quick hair-dryer pass on low (unlit) smooths it out.
Prevent next time: Don’t move the candle while cooling; keep the room calm.
12) Big puff of smoke when you blow it out
What you see: Cloud of smoke and lingering smell.
Quick fix: Use a snuffer or a wick dipper (dip wick into wax, lift to re-center).
Prevent next time: Don’t cap the flame with a lid—that traps smoke and stains the jar.
13) Jar feels too hot
What you see: Glass is uncomfortably hot to touch.
Quick fix: Extinguish and let it cool fully.
Prevent next time: Limit sessions to 2–4 hours; keep ≥10 cm between multiple candles.
Safety snapshot
Keep in sight, away from flammables, on a heat-resistant level surface, and out of reach of children & pets. Never burn more than 4 hours at a time.
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