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My Reward PointsYou've almost certainly met a circumstance when your candle hasn't been able to burn from edge-to-edge, creating a circular 'tunnel' around the wick and down into the center of the candle. This highly common occurrence is referred to as 'tunneling'. No candle is immune to potential tunneling, whether its pricey or a cheap one.
Candle tunneling looks aesthetically ugly and results in wasted and unburned waxes. Although tunneling is natural, it is preventable if you care about your candle properly. This blog will see how candle tunneling can be avoided and fixed.
What is Candle Tunneling?
Candle tunneling occurs when a candle burns down the center, leaving hard wax on the exterior. This squandered wax means your candle will not burn for its full burn period, which is a terrible loss if you enjoy scented candles as much as we do.
It can occur with any candle, regardless of quality or cost. Fortunately, you can do some things for your scented candles to be burned uniformly and efficiently, leaving the minimum wax possible.
What Causes Tunneling In Candles?
The following are some of the most typical reasons for candle tunneling:
- Extinguishing a candle too soon may result in the development of a tunnel.
- Tunneling is frequently caused by using a wick that is too tiny for the volume of wax or the width of your vessel.
- The type of wax used in candle production is an often-overlooked factor as a cause of candle tunneling.
How to Fix Candle Tunneling?
There isn't an attractive or simple solution to candle tunneling. The methods outlined above are your best bet for prevention. However, here's how you may try to repair a tunneled candle:
Two Best Methods To Fix Candle Tunneling
There are basically two effective methods to fix candle tunneling, hair dryer method and aluminium foil method. Read below each method and follow step by step to avoid and fix occurrence of candle tunneling.
Method 1: Hair Dryer Method
Do not worry if your candle has already started a tunnel. It's possible that you can still save it. If the tunneling is little, you can use a hair dryer to cure the top of the candle. The heated air will melt and smooth the wax, resulting in a flatter surface. To fix tunneling, use the steps outlined below:
- Remove any debris from the tunnel and trim the wick.
- Heat the wax on the top surface of the candle with a heat gun (if you have one) or a hairdryer on the highest setting.
- To assist the unmelted wax on the sides in melting faster, delicately poke it with a toothpick.
- Continue heating until the whole top surface of the wax has melted and smoothed.
- Relight your candle and let it burn for at least 30 minutes, or until there is no longer any tunneling visible.
- Set your candle alone for a few days to let the wax set.
- Depending on the type of wax used in your candle, it might take anywhere from two days (paraffin) to two weeks (soy, coconut).
Method 2: Aluminum Foil Method
A tunneled candle may be repaired by covering it in aluminum foil and just letting it burn. Follow the steps outlined below:
- Remove any debris from the tunnel and trim the wick.
- Cover the candle's top with aluminium foil.
- Cut a tiny (1-inch) hole in the center of the aluminium foil.
- Remove the aluminium foil cover, fire the wick, and replace the foil cover.
- Allow the candle to burn for many hours or until the top surface of the wax has fully melted and smoothed out.
- Set your candle away for a few days to let the wax solidify to its maximum firmness (see above).
How to Prevent and Stop Candle Tunneling on First Burn
The first time you light and burn your new candle, it sets the tone for how well it will function during its life. Before snuffing the flame, ensure that the puddle of melted wax reaches the edges of your candle during the first burn. Before we set it out, we want the wax pool to be about 1 cm deep at the borders.
Conclusion
Your candle tunneling may be too extensive in some circumstances to save your candle. However, although it may be off-putting, it doesn't stop you from enjoying your candle. Even if your candle tunneling has progressed to the point that it is no longer possible to light the wick, a candle warmer will still heat the residual wax sufficiently to produce delicate aromas there are still ways to fix it.
