WFMW, how to make your candles last longer

I really hate it when the inside of the candle burns, but the outer edges don't. What a waste! Especially if it is an expensive one like a Yankee Candle. A few years ago, I had an idea... Why not buy my own pre-waxed wicks at the craft store?

*A. To start:

1. If you have recently burned a candle and notice that the center is burned out, but you have excess wax around the sides, use a butter knife while the wax is still soft and warm to scrape down the wax from the sides of the candle container (jar). Your old wick will now be covered in wax.


2. If the wax begins to harden, you can use a sharp knife or scissors to chop the wax up to fill the center better.


3. I buy long wicks, probably 6 to 9 inches, then I snip off the length that I need. Take a tooth pick and make a hole for the new wick.

*B. If the wax isn't soft:

1. Take a tooth pick and make a hole where you want to burn down the wax and stick the piece of wick in. Sometimes I also dredge a little so that the wax can run off to the center easier. Keep an eye on the candle and check it occasionally to make sure the wick isn't extinguished by wax.


2. When the wax has melted a bit to the center and has softened, go back to *A.

Usually I try to make the wick short because it is hard to make a hole the whole depth of the candle, and also because the wax is going to shift to the center of the candle while the candle burns. Using shorter pieces of wick instead of one long one will help cut down on waste since you will probably be changing the location of the wick depending on how the wax shifts.

Click on the WFMW banner to check out other Works For Me tips.