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Imagine yourself in this situation - You've just finished cleaning or are getting ready to get the party started. You walk up to your favourite scented candle to light it when you realize something. The wick on your favourite candle is simply too short to light.
Hitting that little nub with a flame or lighter over and over will get you nowhere. But does this mean that your favourite candle can no longer be used? Certainly not! There are a few options for reviving that annoyingly short candle wick. We will be discussing how to fix a short candle wick in this blog.
What Causes Shortening of Candlewick
When using exquisitely fragranced luxury candles, the wick may become buried or too short on occasion. If this happens, it can be difficult to light (or relight) the candle. But don't worry, we can help you get out of this problem. Let's first understand what causes short wicks.
1. Drowning Candle Wick: If your candle wick is drowning, it signifies the wick is either too small for the candle container or the wick is of poor quality. The wick will overheat and sink in its wax pool due to this. The wick may be too short of relighting or entirely buried inside when the surrounding wax cools and hardens again.
2. Buried Wick On Arrival Of Candle: The problem might have occurred during shipment or delivery if your candle wick was already buried or too short when you initially got it. If candles are left on the pavement or inside a truck for too long on a very hot day, they can melt within their boxes, especially during the summer months. The wick will bend or slant into the soft wax if this happens.
3. Temperature Change: Candle wax can expand due to extreme temperature fluctuations, particularly during the winter. Your wick may appear shorter, as a result, making it more difficult to ignite your candle.
4. Improper Trimming of Wick: Trimming the wick stops it from curling and "mushrooming" while it burns, which is an important element of candle care. You may have forgotten how to trim your wick or maybe cut it too short.
5. Candle Tunneling: Tunneling occurs when only a tiny portion of the wax around the wick melts when your candle burns, resulting in a small hole rather than the full surface melting evenly. As the hole deepens, it may fill with melted wax, burying your candlewick.
Two Methods To Fix a Short Candle Wick
So, now you are aware of what causes the shortening of candle wicks in your candles. What’s next? How to fix this problem. Read on to find out how you can fix a short candlewick depending on how short the candle wick is.
Method 1: If Candle Wick Long Enough to Lit
Step 1: Light The Candle
Light the candle and let it burn for 20 to 30 minutes, checking on it periodically to see how it's going. If the problem persists, blow out the candle carefully and dump the wax into a disposable dish or basin.
Step 2: Let It Cool
Allow it to cool before removing the wax. If you don't want to pour the melted wax, you can soak it with paper towels.
Step 3: Re-Light The Candle
Relight the candle's wick and allow it to burn. Check on it from time to time to check how the flame is doing. Allow the candle to burn until the first layer of wax is entirely melted if it appears to be doing well.
Method 2: If You Can’t Light the Wick
Step 1: Melt The Wax
Melt the wax around the candle wick using a heat gun, then drain it. If you don't have a heat gun, a hairdryer or candle lighter can be used to soften the wax. Avoid placing the candle in the microwave because the wick is held in place by a metal tab that might catch fire.
Step 2: Scoop Out The Wax
Scoop out all of the melted wax to reveal the buried candlewick.
Step 3: Repeat Earlier Steps
Now that the wick is long enough to be lit, repeat all the steps in method 1.
How To Maintain Candle Wick Health
You need to keep in mind certain tips and tricks for maintaining good candlewick health. Optimum burn time, right wick length, and preventing tunneling are a few of them. Read on to find out more in detail about these tips.
1. Keep Right Wick Length
Once your candle is ready and cured properly, its time to carefully cut the extra wick length. It is a very important and crucial step to burn candles evenly. If you cut the wick too short, that leads to premature problems like weak flame, inability to create or maintain the pool, and poor scent throw.
Always cut the candlewick at the right length (larger than the candle jar). You can complete the task using scissors or nail clippers, or even a specialist candle wick trimmer.
2. Trim, Straight, and Center Candle Wick Regularly
It's crucial to trim the candle wick to between 1/8" and 1/4" before lighting it each time to ensure an equal burn. However, be cautious not to cut the wick too short, or you may wind up needing to use some of the other suggestions on this page to cure it.
Trimming the candle will help it burn more evenly. You'll wind up with a lumpy flame that doesn't burn evenly if you leave the small "mushroom" curls at the top of the wick. Trim the wick and enjoy the brilliance of your beautifully shaped candle flame.
3. Burn Wax For Four Hours
Allow the candle to burn long enough to thoroughly melt the top layer of wax whenever you light it (though never let a candle burn longer than four hours, which can cause the wax to overheat). Tunneling, in which just the centermost section of the wax is melted, is avoided this way.
Wax has a memory, and tunneling is difficult to stop once it has happened the first few times. Tunneling not only burns down your candles faster, but it also creates wick difficulties and may cause the wick to become overly short.
Conclusion
Don't be alarmed if your candle wick is too short. To repair your candle and relight it, use one of these three techniques. Also, don't forget to read the recommendations on avoiding a too-short candle wick in the first place and maintaining good wick health.
