The 3 Golden Rules of Candle Safety (Plus Essential Tips You Might Not Know)
Candles bring warmth, light, and beautiful fragrance into our homes. But an open flame always requires respect and caution. Following basic candle safety rules is essential to prevent accidents and ensure you can enjoy your Ritter House of Scent candles worry-free.
Fire safety organizations like the National Candle Association (NCA) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) emphasize three fundamental rules, often called the "Big Three" :
The 3 Golden Rules of Candle Safety
Never Leave a Burning Candle Unattended
This is the most critical rule. Always extinguish candles before leaving a room, going to sleep, or leaving the house. An unwatched flame is a fire hazard.
Keep Candles Away from Flammables
Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Maintain at least a 12-inch clearance around your candle from items like curtains, bedding, books, decorations, paper, and furniture. Don't place candles under shelves.
Keep Candles Out of Reach of Children and Pets
Place burning candles high up on stable surfaces where they cannot be easily knocked over or reached by curious kids or pets.
Beyond the Basics: Essential Candle Safety Tips
Following the Golden Rules is vital, but these additional tips from the NCA and fire safety experts will further enhance your safety:
Use a Proper Holder: Always place candles on a sturdy, heat-resistant surface or in a holder specifically designed for candle use. It should be stable and large enough to catch any drips.
Trim the Wick: Before every lighting, trim the wick to 1/4 inch. This controls flame height, reduces soot, and prevents the wick from mushrooming.
Avoid Drafts: Burn candles in a well-ventilated room, but keep them away from drafts, vents, fans, or open windows. Drafts cause uneven burning and can make the flame flare.
Don't Burn it All the Way Down: Extinguish the flame when about 1/2 inch of wax remains in a container candle, or 2 inches for a pillar candle. Burning lowers risk of overheating the container.
Extinguish Safely: Use a candle snuffer to extinguish the flame. This is the safest method and prevents hot wax from splattering. Never use water to put out a candle flame – it can cause the hot wax to splash violently and may even break a glass container.
Don't Touch or Move a Burning Candle: The container and wax can become very hot. Let it cool completely before handling.
Space Candles Out: If burning multiple candles, keep them at least 3 inches apart to prevent them from melting each other or creating drafts.
Power Outages: Use flashlights for light during power outages whenever possible; they are much safer. If you must use candles, be extremely cautious. Never use a candle to look for things in closets or near fuel.
Watch the Flame: If the flame becomes too high or flickers repeatedly, extinguish the candle immediately. Let it cool, trim the wick, check for drafts, and then relight.