What to do when the wick in a candle is too short, chipped or broken?

We use scented and traditional candles with pleasure throughout the year, making our moments together more pleasant. The pleasant aroma wafting in the air and the relaxing glow of the flickering flame add a special touch to our everyday life. However, what to do when it turns out that the wick in the candle is too short? You don't have to get rid of such a candle right away! With our tips, you can give your candle with a too-short wick a second chance.

Too short a wick in a candle - why it matters?

The wick of the candle is the element that determines the quality of the burning of the candle. A short wick can affect the way the wax burns and the intensity of the fragrance. It is worth paying attention to this detail to maximize the potential of the candle and avoid problems with its use.

How a short wick affects candle performance?

A wick that is too short can cause the candle to burn unevenly, which can shorten the life of the candle. The burning wax around the short wick is not used efficiently enough, and the flame may be too small to spread the fragrance throughout the room.

The wick in the candle is too short - how to prevent it?

The best way to prevent the phenomenon of a too-short wick in a scented candle is to burn it according to general recommendations. These recommendations can take two forms:

• burn the candle for a minimum of 4 hours at a time or
• always burn the candle long enough for the wax to melt across the diameter of the vessel.

We recommend both ways, of course, except that the latter is more versatile and we can use it for soy wax candles, coconut, mineral or hemp, as well as for any unusual shapes or deviating from the standard size of candles.

By lighting the candle for a certain period of time, we have a chance to avoid the unfavorable phenomenon of tunneling, which makes a kind of hole in the center of the candle. On the sides of the candle at this time we have wax residue, which can melt the next time the candle is lit, even causing the wick to sink. Therefore, one should always smoke scented candles for the appropriate time.

What to do when the wick in a candle is too short?

Sometimes it can happen that, despite keeping the candle burning for the right time, the wick becomes too short. Maybe it was trimmed too tightly by accident, or a candle purchased from an unreliable source already had too short a wick.

Fortunately, there are several ways to fix a too-short wick in a candle:

• Light the candle and let it burn for about 20 - 30 minutes occasionally checking the height of the flame. Maybe such controlled candle lighting will be enough to solve the problem.
• If the flame is very weak, extinguish the candle and remove the liquid wax from the candle.
• In this way, you managed to form a small cavity in which you can see more of the wick. Re-light the candle and wait 20 - 30 minutes. If everything looks good, let the candle burn longer - in the normal way, until the wax dissolves to the walls.
• If the wick in the candle is too short and you can't even light it, scrape out some wax around the wick with a butter knife. Then light a candle.

How to properly trim the wick in a candle?

And what to do if the wick in your scented candle is too long? Do not light too long a wick in the candle, as too high a flame may be produced.

The amount of smoke and soot also increases, and there is even a risk of igniting a fire. Therefore, before each lighting of the candle should check whether the wick is not too long and if necessary - trim it.

Always trim the wick when the candle is extinguished and the wax has cooled. We use to trim the wick special wick trimmer. The optimum wick length recommended by most candle manufacturers is about 5 mm.

How to extend the wick of a candle?

If you notice that the wick in the candle is too short, and you can not restore it to its original length, you have another option - to extend the wick, or more precisely, to "pull" it from the candle. You can also replace the wick with a longer one that is compatible with the size of the candle, so the wick will be long enough and the candle will burn properly throughout its use. Both ways are described below.

How to remove some of the wax from the candle to extract the wick?

If the wick in the candle is too short and you can't light it, there is a way to remove some of the wax to expose more of the wick and restore the candle to full functionality. Here's how to do it step by step:

Step 1: Preparation

Make sure the candle is completely extinguished and the wax inside has cooled down. Never try to manipulate the candle when the wax is liquid, as this can be dangerous.

Step 2: Wax removal

Using a butter knife or other tool that has a wide blade, begin to gently remove the wax around the wick. You can scrape the wax from the inside of the vessel, trying to avoid damaging the wick. Do it slowly so as not to disturb the structure of the candle.

Step 3: Exposing the wick

Continue removing the wax until you discover the right amount of wick. The goal is to create enough space so that the wick can be lit freely. Remember to remove only as much wax as necessary - chipping too deeply can damage the structure of the candle.

Step 4: Check the wick

After removing the wax, check the height of the wick. If it is still too short, go to the wick replacement option.

How to replace the wick in a candle?

If, after removing some of the wax, it was not possible to restore the proper length of the wick, it may be necessary to replace it. Replacing the wick is a process that requires patience, but guarantees that the candle will burn properly. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Prepare the candle

Make sure the candle is extinguished and the wax is completely hardened. If the candle is in a glass vessel, make sure the vessel is not hot to avoid burns.

Step 2: Remove the old wick

Using a knife or pliers, carefully pull out the old wick. If the wick is stuck to the bottom of the candle, try gently levering it to remove it. If necessary, you can use hot wax to help detach the wick from the bottom of the pot.

Step 3: Selecting a new wick

Choose a wick of the right length and thickness, matching the diameter of the candle. Make sure that the new wick is suitable for the type of wax that is in the candle (e.g., soy wax, paraffin wax). However, always take into account that you may not be able to perfectly fit the wick as the manufacturer did.

Step 4: Attach the new wick

Using candle glue or a wick replacement kit, glue the new wick to the bottom of the vessel. Make sure it is firmly attached so that it does not move while smoking. Allow the glue to dry well before lighting the candle.

Step 5: Time to smoke

After you have finished replacing the wick, let the candle cool down and then light it according to the rules for proper candle burning time.