Best Ways to Put Out a Candle & The Problem With Blowing Them Out

It’s always a bit sad when a candle is burned out. It’s particularly heartbreaking when you’ve invested a lot of dollars on the item and it ends up smelling like… it’s nothing. It’s difficult to remember that candles with scents are made of wax, and thus they’ll melt if become too hot.

In this post, we’re going to guide you on how to extinguish a scented candle with as minimal effort as possible. We’re going to start with the simplest and most effective method to accomplish this, then gradually move to techniques that may be more laborious.

This is a good idea since even in the worst-case scenario you have an excuse to relax and have fun when you’ve finished burning the candle.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS THAT A CANDLE IS BURNING?

The fire of a candle is very similar to the flame in a gas stove. The flame burns straight, and takes in oxygen in its path, producing carbon dioxide and water vapor. These gases rise from the sides of the candle and are removed by fresh air entering from below.

When there’s not enough oxygen to burn how does the wax that’s not burned? It cools down, becoming solid again. This is known as “wick exhaustion”; it occurs when all wicks are destroyed by the heat of the flame.

There are a few tips on how to tell whether that candle has stopped burning:

The flame is smaller than normal – This can happen if there’s excessive candle wax, or there isn’t enough wick.

The flame goes out completely The candle is completely out. You might need to trim the wick before you can light the candle again.

A flame may be too high. If your candle starts smoking or dripping wax, you’ll want to blow the flame out and trim the wick to ensure your flame appears lower.

The wick is beginning to turn black. As the flame gets smaller, it will be consumed by wax and leave behind carbon deposits on the wick. This is called”carbonized” wick or “carbonized” wick.

The flame of a candle must be blue and have the tip being yellow. If it’s more orange than blue, it means the candle’s wick is either too short or not trimmed enough. When the flame appears too big it could be because the wick is too long or have too much wax build-up surrounding it.

The tip of the flame must always point toward the upward direction and not towards the side or downwards as this could indicate a low-quality wick, or perhaps an open flame, which can cause your candle to go out!

THE PROPER WAY TO EXTINGUISH A SCENTED CANDLE

The first thing to remember is to ensure that you don’t blow up!

There are a number of reasons why blowing out candles is not the ideal method to extinguish it. If the flame is big enough that blowing it out can cause the wick to move around and create a sloppy melting pool of wax that surrounds the wick. Not exactly what you want when trying to clean up. Additionally, if you blow too hard, there’s a chance that your breath may change its shape, which can trigger another tiny puff of air that can fan the flames instead of putting these out!

There’s a second reason as to why this technique isn’t the best: If you breathe hot enough (and let’s face it…it most likely is) There’s no assurance that it won’t cause condensation on nearby surfaces or other objects, such as books or curtains. This could lead to water damage over time as moisture seeps into woodworking items like tables and desks, which are likely to be stored in close proximity during daylight hours.

HERE’S THE PROPER WAY TO EXTINGUISH A CANDLE:

The proper way to extinguish candles is to shut out the supply of oxygen to the candle. This can be done with the lid or a candle snuffer. Use these tools to eliminate your candle prior to putting it away or else it could start a fire. For larger jar candles dip the wick into the pool of melted wax before re-centering and straightening.

Use the lid or incense snuffer to shut off oxygen.

Don’t blow on the flame of a candle to put it out, even if you think you’re taking care. The wax that surrounds the wick is hot enough to begin melting and dripping down to any area not covered by your hands. It will also spread scents over your hands and face. This is a major no-no for anyone who likes to smell great instead of like an extinguished candle!

The best way to put candles that smell good is by covering them with their lids or snuffers as soon as they begin to smoke. After that, wait until they are cool before removing the covers in case you end up melting the wax all over your furniture or tabletop!

Hold it there until the flame has gone completely out.

Make sure you hold your candle near the wick and let it burn to the end. Wax that drips onto the base or lid can result in soot accumulation, which will make your candle burn unevenly, and probably lead to wick misalignment.

For larger jar candles, dip the wick into the pool of melted wax for a few seconds prior to straightening and re-centering it.

This will prevent the wax from becoming hard which can make the process of removing the candle from its holder difficult. It can also affect how quickly your candle burns through its fuel source, so you won’t have to replace it as often.

The final step is to extinguish the flame by pouring it into an empty glass or bowl filled with water for around thirty seconds. This is for two reasons It firstly stops any leftover heat from causing damage to nearby surfaces Also, if wax spills onto the carpet or tablecloth (which is extremely rare), this is easily cleaned up using paper towels that have been dipped into the water. No scrubbing is required!

Then clean any soot from the edge of the glass containers by wiping them down with an aqueous cloth.

Clean the wax off the inside of the glass container with the help of a towel or paper and help to avoid soot from accumulating on the bottom of the candle.

If you’ve got leftover wax in your container you could use it to create new candles or pour it into molds to make different forms (such as hearts).

After all wax residue is gone, scrub any soot that has accumulated in your glass container by wiping the outside surface with a damp towel until it shines!

Make sure not to blow them out to make them go out!

If you blow out a candle, hot wax gets scattered. This could harm your furniture or yourself. This isn’t the best method of extinguishing a candle. Instead, you should use the lid or a wick snuffer (a small tool made of metal with an angled end) to burn it off properly.

Takeaway:

Follow the instructions on the container of the candle that you want to scent. Most likely, this will require you to simply blow off the fire. However, most manufacturers will provide tips and tricks for putting out a votive or pillar candle as well. Remember that your security is the primary issue in this case. Take it slow, figure out what works most effectively for your particular candle, and do not let a candle that is burning left unattended.