This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com

Candles are both decorative and functional.  We tend to use more candles beginning in Thanksgiving and throughout the fall and winter seasons.  They give a great ambiance at the dinner table or throughout the house, and can be used as emergency lighting in a power outage.

Soy candles are said to last longer than regular wax candles.  Quick tip:  For emergencies, choose long lasting candles, and don’t forget to store matches next to them so you don’t need to search around in the dark.

Here are five ways to make candles

last longer

Freezing

The day before using, store candles in the freezer to harden them.

Maintain the wick

An extra long wick allows for a large flame that burns the candle down too quickly.  It also causes more soot.   Before using the candle for the first time, trim the wick to 1/4 of an inch long.  After every use, trim off the soot and maintain the 1/4 inch length.

Candle location

• Keep them away from drafts
• Set on a level surface:  When using your candle, make sure the candle sits on a level surface to prevent uneven wax pooling.

Salt

This tip is applied after you have started using your candle.  Allow the candle to burn long enough for some wax to pool around the wick.  Blow out the flame.  Quickly add some table salt into the melted wax.  Use a toothpick to gently mix the salt with the wax.  Let the wax harden.  This trip

Storage

Because I live in an area that is hot and humid close to six months out of the year, I have found many warped candles in boxes.  Now I have learned they cannot be stored in the garage where it gets hot.  Store them in a cool, dark place.  Dinner candles should be stored flat to keep their shape.

Bonus Tip:

Unused scented candles can be re-purposed to to freshen drawers.  Just unwrap, place inside drawer and enjoy the fragrance.

Finally, if you have warped or worn down old candles, you can recycle them and make new creations from candle scraps.

 

© Apartment Prepper 2016

 

 

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