If you’re a lover of the great outdoors, then it’s likely that scented candles are your friend after dark. The wonderful aromas they produce can help you to relax, destress and feel like you’re in another world no matter how claustrophobic your house might feel at times.
There is nothing quite like lighting up a scented candle to bring about feelings of calmness and contentment. They are also known for being an effective way to tackle unwanted odors and smells in general, making them an excellent addition to any home.
But with so many choices on the market today, it can be difficult to sift through all of them to determine which of them will provide the best results and long-lasting benefits. Keep reading to learn more about the ins and outs of using scented candles as part of your everyday life.
It’s important to know your brands
If you are using scented candles in a small room or in a large room that may be closed off, it is important to know the brand of your candle and the strength of the fragrance it produces. Strong scents can irritate people who are sensitive to smells.
The best thing to do is to do a bit of research and find out what kind of scents appeal to you the most. It’s also a good idea to test out a few different brands to see which ones appeal to you the most. Doing so will help you to determine which fragrances you like best, which will make future shopping trips much easier.
If you’re the type of person who likes to add scents to your home regularly, it might be a good idea to set a budget and stick to it. This will help you to avoid going overboard and spending too much money on scented candles. You may also want to look into purchasing scented candles in bulk, as they can sometimes be cheaper if you do so.
Candle safety is important
To prevent costly accidents, it is important to keep safety in mind when using scented candles. While they can certainly be helpful in terms of providing a pleasant aroma, they can also be a fire hazard if they are not used or placed in the right manner. That being said, there are precautions you can take to help ensure your safety when using scented candles.
For starters, it is important to always place your scented candles on a heat-resistant surface, as they can easily cause fires if they are placed on something that can easily catch fire, such as paper or a wooden table. If you are using scented candles in a closed room, it is a good idea to crack a window or leave the room entirely to prevent carbon dioxide from building up.
Don’t blow out too quickly
When extinguishing your scented candles, it is important to remember not to blow them out too quickly. This is because it causes the wax to become unevenly distributed, which can lead to the candles not burning correctly or unevenly. Ideally, you should allow the wick to slowly extinguish itself by gently blowing on it until it goes out completely.
This will help to ensure that your scented candles burn evenly and last as long as possible. Alternatively, you can also allow the scented candles to burn down until the wax is low enough to be extracted, which will ensure that your candles are completely extinguished. This is most effectively done with tea-light scented candles, which are the smallest type of scented candles available.
The wick is your friend
The wick of a scented candle is important as it allows just the right amount of wax to drip. If the wick is too short, not enough wax will drip, which means the candle will burn for a short period. If the wick is too long, too much wax will drip, and the candle will burn for too long.
With that being said, it is important to trim the wick when you first light up your scented candles to make sure that the length is correct. Doing so will help the candles to burn properly, provide a beautiful flame and last longer.
The best way to trim the wick is to make a small slice on the tip of the wick with a scissor. It is important to not cut the wick shorter than 1/4 of an inch, otherwise, it will make the candle burn too quickly.
Understanding cold throw and hot throw
Understanding the difference between "cold throw" and "hot throw" can be helpful when shopping for scented candles. Cold throw refers to the strength of the fragrance when you're simply handling the candle or picking it up off of a store shelf. This can give you an idea of the overall scent of the candle, but it's important to note that the actual fragrance may be different when the candle is lit.
Hot throw, on the other hand, refers to the strength of the fragrance when the candle is burning. This is often a more accurate representation of how the candle will actually smell in your home. Keep in mind that the hot throw of a candle can be affected by factors such as the size of the room, ventilation, and the length of the wick. So, while cold throw can give you a general idea of the scent of a candle, it's always a good idea to burn the candle at home to get a true sense of its hot throw.
Don’t put them all over the place
One thing you don’t want to do when using scented candles is to put them in every nook and cranny. While scented candles can certainly be useful in certain areas of your home, it is important to keep in mind that too many of them will cause your home to smell the same all the time.
This can lead to your senses getting used to the smell, which means it will lose its effectiveness. It is recommended that you use scented candles in small spaces, such as your bathroom, bedroom and living room. If you want to fragrance the entire house, you should use a diffuser or an oil burner, as these are effective in filling a large area with scent. You can also use scented candles in your garage or garden to help attract pests or critters away from the area.
The biggest mistake you can make with scented candles
The biggest mistake you can make with scented candles is using them as a replacement for other, more effective ways of deodorizing your home. While you may think that scented candles are just as effective as an air freshener, they are not. Air fresheners are specifically engineered to target specific smells and neutralize them.
Whereas scented candles may help to mask odors, they do not eliminate them. For best results, it is recommended that you use both scented candles and an air freshener in your home, as this will help to remove all unwanted odors from your home.