Candle Safety Tips

Glowing candlelight brings a special sense of beauty and calm to a room. A lit candle is also an open flame, and it needs the same attention you would give any fire in your home.

According to the National Candle Association, about six percent of U.S. home fire injuries are caused by candles. As premium candle makers since 1961, we recommend keeping these simple safety habits in mind before you light any candle.

Quick answer: how do you burn candles safely?

Trim the wick to about ¼ inch, never leave a burning candle unattended, use a sturdy heat-resistant holder on a stable surface, keep the flame away from anything that can catch fire and put candles out with a snuffer, not water.

• Trim the wick before every burn
• Burn candles in a safe, ventilated spot away from drafts
• Use the right candle holder
• Keep flammable objects away from the flame
• Extinguish candles properly

5 candle fire safety tips

1. Trim the wick to ¼ inch

Before burning any type of candle, cut the wick down to about ¼ inch. Long or crooked wicks can cause uneven burning and dripping. Our guide to making candle burn time last longer covers wick care in more detail.

2. Burn your candles in safe places

Never leave a burning candle unattended, and keep lit candles well away from pets and out of reach of children. Burn candles in a well-ventilated room, and avoid lighting too many candles in a small room where airflow is limited.

Keep burning candles away from drafts, vents, ceiling fans and air currents. This helps prevent uneven burning, flare-ups and soot. Drafts can also blow lightweight items, such as paper, into the flame where they could catch fire.

3. Always use the right candle holder

Use a candle holder that is designed for candles and sized for the specific candle you are burning. The holder should be heat-resistant, sturdy and large enough to contain any drips or melted wax. For taper candles, beeswax fitter strips help a candle sit snug and upright in a holder that is slightly too wide.

Place the holder on a stable surface to help limit heat damage to the surface underneath and to keep glass containers from breaking. A heat-resistant plate under a pillar candle does the same job.

4. Keep flammable objects away from candles

Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper and flammable decorations.

5. Extinguish your candles properly

The safest way to prevent hot wax splatters is to put a candle out with a snuffer instead of blowing it out. Never use water to extinguish a candle, because it can cause splatters or break a glass container.

Put a candle out if it repeatedly smokes, flickers or the flame grows too high, since that means it is not burning properly. Let it cool, trim the wick and check for drafts before you light it again.

Why choose Creative Candles?

Creative Candles has made small-batch candles by hand since 1961. Each one starts with our proprietary wax blend and a custom wick, and is hand-dipped or hand-poured and then flame finished for a slow, dripless, smokeless burn. Our candle care guide has more ways to keep every candle looking its best.

Final takeaway

Safe candlelight comes down to a few habits: trim the wick, stay with the flame, use the right holder, keep flammable things away and put candles out gently.

With that care, your favorite Creative Candles color glows safely from the first light to the last. Discover the Creative Candles difference or shop the full collection.