Trim your wick to ¼ inch before lighting. Place the candle on a heat-safe surface away from drafts, and let it burn until the top layer of wax is fully melted. This ensures an even, long-lasting burn and prevents tunneling. Keep the candle in sight while burning.

Tunneling happens when a candle is extinguished before the wax pool reaches the edges. Let each burn melt the top layer completely to reset the “memory” of the wax. A full melt pool gives you the best scent throw and longest life.

Burn for 2–4 hours at a time. Short burns can cause tunneling; burning longer than 4 hours can overheat the jar.

Use a snuffer or wick dipper instead of blowing it out. Dipping the wick into the melted wax extinguishes the flame cleanly and helps it relight easier next time. If you do not have a snuffer or wick dipper, you can blow the candle out and quickly place a lid over the top.

Our candles are made with 100% domestically grown soy wax, cotton wicks, and fragrance oils that meet IFRA safety standards. When burned properly, soy candles produce minimal soot and are safe for typical home use. Soy is shown in studies to produce less soot than paraffin waxes. Additionally, P.F. Candles have been through rigorous wick testing to ensure sooting is minimized.

Soot can happen when the wick is too long (or mushroomed or curled over in a piggy tail) or the candle is in a draft. Keep wicks trimmed and avoid burning near fans, windows, or vents. If you see a candle sooting as you burn it, put the candle out and trim the wick before re-lighting.

Soy wax burns cleaner and slower than paraffin, making it ideal for long, even burns. Soy is a renewable resource, and working with a domestic soy partner reduces our carbon footprint. When in doubt, vegetable wax is a preferable alternative to paraffin as it is a renewable resource and does not smell like petroleum or plastic while burning. P.F. Candles are made with 100% soy wax - no additives or additional waxes. Check with your candle manufacturer if the wax contains the phrase “blend” as that indicates that multiple waxes have been used, and may indicate the presence of petroleum.

When it comes to wicks, generally there are two choices on the market - cotton and wood. Wood wicks create a slight crackle as they burn, which can be nice for ambience. Cotton wicks are the most widely available candle wicks on the market, and is what we use in all of our soy candles on the classic and HI-FI line. Larger candles, like our HI-FI double wick candle, typically have multiple wicks, which help create an even melt pool and increase scent throw. 

Our standard candles measure about 3” wide and are great for cozy apartments, bathrooms, and desksides. Our large concentrated candles and HI-FI candles have a wider diameter that creates an increased scent throw and are good for bigger rooms and open spaces.

A candle warmer can be used to make the candle last longer. Candle warmers work by melting the top portion of wax, which allows the scent to permeate the air, but does not use the wax as quickly as burning. Using a larger sized candle can also make the fragrance linger in the air for longer periods.

Once ¼ inch of wax remains, stop burning. There are several methods for cleaning, outlined on our instagram here, but our favorite is the oven method because it allows you to clean multiple vessels at once. Set your oven to the lowest temperature setting and put the candle vessels - right side up - on a baking sheet. Once the remaining wax has liquified, empty it into an old tin can or vessel to be discarded. Wipe the inside of the vessel clean with a cloth or paper towel.

You can also use the freezer method. Place the jar in the freezer for a few hours, then carefully chip out the remaining wax. Clean with rubbing alcohol. 

Reuse the jar for storage, plants, or desk tools.

Never leave a burning candle unattended. Keep away from flammable objects, children, and pets. Extinguish before leaving the room or going to sleep.