Candle Care & Troubleshooting Guide
Hand-poured candles behave a little differently than factory candles — and that’s a good thing. Natural waxes burn cleaner and softer, but they also rely on proper burning habits to perform their best.
Below are the most common candle problems and how to fix them.
Why is my candle tunneling?
Tunneling happens when the wax along the edges never melts and the flame burns straight down the center.
Candles have something called a memory burn. The first time you light a candle, it sets the melt pattern for the rest of its life. If the wax does not melt all the way to the edge on that first burn, the candle will keep following that smaller circle every time you relight it.
How to prevent it
- Let the first burn last 2–4 hours
- Allow the melted wax pool to reach the jar edge
- Avoid short 30-minute burns at the beginning
If your candle already tunneled, a longer burn session usually allows the wax to catch up and even out.
Why won’t my wood wick stay lit?
Wood wicks work by pulling melted wax upward as fuel. If too much char builds up on the wick, the flame becomes starved of oxygen and goes out.
Fix
- Trim the wick to about 1/8 inch before each burn
- Break off the blackened tip with your fingers or a wick trimmer
- Relight once the wick is clean
A properly trimmed wood wick should produce a steady, calm flame — not a tall roaring
How long should I burn a candle?
The ideal burn time is 2-4 hours at a time.
Burning too briefly can cause tunneling.
Burning too long overheats the jar and shortens the candle’s life.
After extinguishing, let the wax fully cool before relighting
Candle safety tips
- Always burn on a heat-safe surface
- Keep away from drafts and curtains
- Stop burning when 1/2 inch of wax remains
- Never leave a candle unattended
A note from Bound & Blooming
Our candles are hand-poured using coconut-soy wax and carefully sized wicks so they develop a full melt pool and steady flame when burned properly!
If you’re looking for a candle designed to burn evenly from the start: