How to Care for Your Votivo CandleUpdated 2 hours ago
Your Votivo candle deserves a little TLC to perform its best. Follow these simple steps to get the most out of every burn.
Before You Light It
Trim your wick to 1/4 inch. Before lighting your candle each time, trim the wick with scissors or a wick trimmer. This ensures a clean, even burn and helps reduce soot on the glass.
The First Burn Matters
The first time you light your candle sets the tone for its entire life. Let the wax melt all the way to the edges of the container. This prevents tunneling and ensures an even burn every time after.
A good rule: burn your candle for 1 hour per inch of width. For most Votivo candles, aim for about 4 hours on that first burn. Then extinguish and let it cool completely before lighting again.
Keep Your Wick Centered
As the wax melts, your wick might shift. After you blow out the flame (but before the wax cools), use tweezers to gently recenter the wick. This keeps it from leaning too close to the glass, which could cause cracking from heat.
What Is Tunneling?
Tunneling happens when only the center wax melts, leaving a ring of wax around the edges. The main cause? Not burning your candle long enough on that crucial first burn. You can prevent this by letting the wax pool to the edges every time you light it, especially the first time.
Don't Burn Too Long
We recommend burning your candle for no more than 4 hours at a time. After that, extinguish the flame and let it cool before relighting.
When to Stop Using Your Candle
Stop burning when only 1/2 inch of wax remains. This is important for safety. Burning below this point can cause the glass to overheat, which could lead to shattering glass or fire.
What to Do With Your Empty Candle
Once your candle is finished and cooled, you can clean out the vessel to reuse it. There are lots of methods for removing leftover wax (freezing, hot water, the oven method). Just note: we don't recommend using old candle vessels for food or drinks as our candle glass is not food-safe.
Safety First
Keep these safety guidelines in mind every time you light your candle:
Never leave a burning candle unattended. Always burn within sight.
Keep candles away from children and pets.
Place candles on heat-resistant, non-flammable surfaces only. Avoid cold surfaces like glass or marble, which can crack from heat changes.
Keep candles away from anything that can catch fire. This includes curtains, papers, and other flammable items.
Avoid drafty areas. Drafts can cause uneven burning and increased soot.
Keep foreign objects out of the wax. Remove wick trimmings and any debris.
Space multiple candles at least 2 inches apart to prevent overheating.
Why Three-Wick Candles Burn Faster
If you've noticed your three-wick candle burning faster than a single-wick candle, that's normal. Here's why:
Three-wick candles are typically larger in volume, so there's more wax to burn overall.
More wicks mean more heat and flame on the candle's surface, which speeds up the burn time.
Questions about candle care? Call 1.877.7VOTIVO (1.877.786.8486) or send an email to [email protected].