Candle Care Guide

Wilson And Wick™ Candle Care Guide

A Better Burn. A Longer Story.

Every Wilson & Wick™ candle is hand-poured in small batches and created to be enjoyed slowly.

A little candle care can make a big difference in how evenly your candle burns, how cleanly the wick performs, and how long you get to enjoy its fragrance.

Follow these simple steps to help get the best experience from every Wilson & Wick candle.

Before Every Burn

Trim Your Wick

Before lighting your candle, trim the wick to approximately ¼ inch.

A properly trimmed wick helps:

  • Create a cleaner, steadier flame

  • Reduce soot and smoke

  • Prevent an oversized flame

  • Help the candle burn more evenly

  • Extend the usable life of your candle

If you notice a mushroom-shaped buildup on the end of the wick, allow the candle to cool completely and trim it before lighting again.

The First Burn Matters

The first burn helps set the foundation for future burns.

When lighting your candle for the first time, allow the melted wax to spread evenly across most or all of the surface before extinguishing it.

This helps prevent tunneling, where the candle burns down through the center while leaving unused wax around the sides of the vessel.

Depending on the candle and surrounding room conditions, reaching a full melt pool can take a few hours.

Never burn a candle for more than 4 hours at a time.

During Each Burn

For the safest and best candle experience:

  • Place your candle on a stable, heat-resistant surface.

  • Keep the candle away from drafts, ceiling fans, open windows, and air vents.

  • Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches, and other debris.

  • Keep the candle away from children and pets.

  • Never leave a burning candle unattended.

  • Do not move the candle while the wax is melted or the vessel is hot.

  • Never burn your candle for more than 4 hours at a time.

If the flame becomes unusually large, begins producing heavy soot, or flickers excessively, extinguish the candle and allow it to cool.

Trim the wick before relighting.

How Long Will My Candle Burn?

Wilson & Wick™ Signature Candle

Size: 9.3 oz / approximately 264 g

Estimated Burn Time: Approximately 50–60 hours with proper candle care

Actual burn time can vary depending on:

  • Wick trimming

  • Length of each burn

  • Room temperature

  • Air movement and drafts

  • Individual burning habits

Short, repeated burns can sometimes reduce the overall usable life of a candle because the wax may not have enough time to melt evenly across the surface.

For the best performance, give your candle enough time to develop an even melt pool while staying within the 4-hour maximum burn time.

Give Your Candle Time to Cool

After extinguishing your candle, allow the wax and vessel to cool completely before:

  • Trimming the wick

  • Moving the candle

  • Replacing the lid

  • Lighting it again

Letting the wax fully reset between burns helps maintain the candle's appearance and performance.

When Should I Stop Burning My Candle?

We know it can be tempting to enjoy every last bit of wax, but candle safety comes first.

Discontinue use when approximately ½ inch of wax remains at the bottom of the vessel.

Burning a candle beyond this point can allow too much heat to reach the bottom of the container.

Never attempt to burn all of the wax out of the vessel.

Why Does My Candle Look Different After Burning?

Because Wilson & Wick candles are hand-poured, you may occasionally notice small changes in the wax after the candle has been burned and cooled.

These may include:

  • Slight surface texture

  • Small variations in color

  • Minor frosting

  • Uneven-looking wax after cooling

These characteristics can naturally occur with soy-based wax and generally do not affect the candle's fragrance or performance.

Each candle is a small-batch product, so slight variations are part of what makes each one unique.

Help — My Candle Is Tunneling

If your candle begins burning down the middle while leaving a ring of unmelted wax around the edge, it may be tunneling.

Tunneling can happen when a candle is extinguished too soon during its early burns.

To help prevent it:

  • Allow enough time for the wax to melt toward the edges of the vessel.

  • Avoid very short burn sessions.

  • Keep the candle away from drafts.

  • Always keep each burn under 4 hours.

Consistent candle care from the beginning is the best way to prevent tunneling.

What If My Flame Gets Too Large?

If the flame becomes unusually tall, flickers heavily, smokes, or produces visible soot:

  1. Extinguish the candle safely.

  2. Allow it to cool completely.

  3. Trim the wick back to approximately ¼ inch.

  4. Remove any wick debris from the wax.

  5. Relight only after the candle has fully cooled.

A large flame is often a sign that the wick needs trimming.

Candle Safety

Candles create a beautiful atmosphere, but they are still an open flame.

Always follow these basic safety practices:

  • Never leave a burning candle unattended.

  • Keep candles away from children and pets.

  • Keep away from curtains, paper, bedding, decorations, and anything else that can catch fire.

  • Keep candles away from drafts and moving air.

  • Burn only on a stable, heat-resistant surface.

  • Never touch or move a candle while the wax is hot or liquid.

  • Keep multiple burning candles safely separated.

  • Never use water to extinguish a candle.

  • Stop burning when approximately ½ inch of wax remains.

  • Never burn for more than 4 hours at a time.

If a candle vessel becomes unusually hot, extinguish the candle and allow it to cool completely before using it again.

When the Flame Ends, the Story Doesn't Have To

The Second Light Program

When you've finished enjoying your Wilson & Wick candle, don't automatically throw the vessel away.

Our Second Light Program was created to encourage the return and reuse of eligible Wilson & Wick candle vessels.

Return • Reuse • Reward

It's one small way we can reduce waste and give our candle vessels another chapter.

Learn More About The Second Light Program →

Local to the San Francisco Bay Area?

Wilson & Wick™ offers Local Pickup & Drop-Off options in select San Francisco Bay Area communities.

Local customers may also be able to return eligible vessels through one of our available local meeting locations.

Learn About Local Pickup & Drop-Off →

Need Help With Your Candle?

If your Wilson & Wick candle isn't burning the way you expected, have a question about candle care, or aren't sure whether something you're seeing is normal, please contact us.

We're happy to help.

Contact Wilson & Wick →

Wilson & Wick™

Every Candle Has a Story.