Just about everybody loves candles! Candles add warmth to a room. They almost make you feel warmer on a cold night. They bring romance into any room of the house. They help with unwanted smells and add fragrance where it is wanted.

Candles will fade if left in the light for an extended period of time. Never put candles in a window or directly expose to bright outdoor light or indoor spotlights.

Keep lit candles out of drafts, drafts create large flames, shortening the burning time.

Wicks should be trimmed to a 1/4" from wax for longer burning time.

Votive candles must be in a container. They are made of a low melt wax. The tighter the fit the longer the candle will burn.

Votive burning is fun, however the clean up of the container is frustrating and time consuming. Eliminate this aggravation. Simply place 1/8" of tap water in the base of the votive holder prior to lighting. Once the votive candle is extinguished, allow the wax to solidify. Once solid, gently push on the wax and the contents should pop loose. If that doesn't do it , put container in the icebox for about 15 minutes. Take out and press on wax a little, it should pop out.

 

Floating candles can provide both a formal and informal setting for either a dinner party or a back yard picnic. Floating candles in a clear bowl creates an extra special lighting effect. Using distilled water eliminates mineral buildup on the side of crystal or glass, preserving its unique presentation of floating candles.

Let spilled wax solidify so when it hardens it can be removed in pieces by covering with paper towel and or a brown paper grocery bag and gently press out with a warm iron - the wax will melt and be absorbed into the paper.

A candle will burn more slowly and evenly if it's refrigerated before using. Wrap the candle in plastic or foil before refrigerating to prevent wicks from absorbing moisture.

Each time you light a pillar candle, burn it long enough to create a pool of wax across most of the diameter of the candle. The candle will last longer and burn more evenly.

Before a dinner or party, light and then extinguish the candles as they will light more quickly and easily when you are ready to use them.

Extinguish candles when they get within 2 inches of their holders or decorations.

To extinguish a candle, dip the wick into the liquid wax, using a nonflammable instrument. This little known technique eliminates smoking of an extinguished wick.

After extinguishing candles, re-center wick.