Crackling Wooden Wicks are an attractive alternative to traditional cotton wicks. They provide captivating ambiance, effective scent throw and sustainability, making wooden wicks the perfect choice for your home.
However, be mindful to care for your wooden wick during the full lifespan of your candle. This is the best way to ensure you will enjoy your scented candle for as long as possible, providing more value for your money.
This guide can show you how to take good care of wooden wicks, simply and quickly.
What Are Wooden Wicks?
Essentially, Wooden Wicks are thin strips or tubes of wood, of several sizes and proportions. They may seem a little strange at first, but they are one of the best ways to enjoy a candle.
Wooden wicks produce an amazing crackling sound that is similar to a fireplace. This means a unique, soothing and relaxing atmosphere.
They are more sustainable than common cotton wicks, as thousands of them can be obtained from a single tree.
Plus, wooden wicks not only produce less soot than traditional wicks, but they aren't treated with any additives to help them stay lit. This means a cleaner burn for you and your home.
Why Is First Burn Important?
It is the first burn that determines the rest of any candle’s lifespan. It is essential to set up a wax memory for the rest of its melting. When done appropriately, it avoids what is known as Candle Tunnelling: when only the center of the wax right around the wick melts and burns down, without melting all the surrounding wax. This wasted hard wax means your candle will burn too quickly and won’t achieve its maximum burn-time, a real waste of your adored scented candle and your money.
Additionally, as the flame burrows further down the middle, the wick will become more and more difficult to light and will eventually be drowned by melting wax.
Candle tunnelling can happen to any candle regardless of the wick type, wax composition, quality, or price. Luckily, there is one simple thing you can do to help your scented candles burn evenly and efficiently, leaving as little residual wax as possible.
The first time you burn a candle, it creates a “memory” in the wax. This wax memory will be the foundation for how the rest of the candle will burn. In order not to “tunnel”, the candle needs to stay lit for approximately 3 hours the first time you burn it (it can vary slightly depending on the size/diameter of the candle), until the pool of melted wax reaches the edges of the container.
Once you have given the first burn enough time, this process is not required for each following burn. But if you have a large candle (which means a longer shelf life), it is suitable to repeat the process of keeping the candle lit for approximately 3 hours, to awaken the wax memory.
When To Trim Your Wooden Wick?
Trimming the wooden wick is key to a longer shelf life of soy candles. We can’t stress enough how important this is.
The combustible material in a candle is the wax. The wood absorbs the liquid wax into the wick and upward into the flame. This means that if the wick is too long, it cannot absorb the wax underneath and burn properly.
Also, it is time to trim the wooden wick if the flame is too intense or releasing too much soot and smoke.
Therefore, a well-trimmed wick helps the candle stays lit, prevents soot, ensures an even burn and a safe flame. It makes all the difference!
What Length Should Wood Wicks Be Cut?
Trim the wick to 4mm length before every burn for optimal performance.
Should You Trim A Wooden Wick Before First Use?
The scented soy candles handmade by Botanica Idea are all set up for first use, no extra handling needed. It thus comes up with ideal wooden wick lengths that do not require any trimming before lighting for the first time.
How Do You Trim A Wooden Wick Without A Trimmer?
If you don’t have a wick trimmer, you can easily break off the ashy part of the wooden wick with your fingers. Make sure your candle is cool before trimming the wick for safety reasons, as well as easy maintenance if any debris falls off while trimming.
Nail clippers or wire cutters can also work well as tools for trimming wooden wicks.
What Happens If You Don't Trim Candle Wicks?
Wooden wicks do require some extra attention to function perfectly.
So, without enough trimming, you might lose shelf life, affect the scent's overall spreading, or end up with an unsafe candle or a candle that struggles to stay lit.
Are Wooden Wicks Safe?
Wooden wicks are extracted from natural and non-toxic ingredients.
While not all candles are created the same way, Botanica Idea uses only raw, untreated wooden wicks, from sustainable sources. So, in this case the answer is a big Yes! Wooden Wicks are safe as they burn cleanly, with no presence of hazardous compounds. They light up your space in an eco-friendly manner.
Always read the label or ask the manufacturer if you are unsure of the ingredients in the candle.
Plus, wooden wicks require a metal stand to hold the wick straight and centered in the container. This is great news for safety: the metal stand keeps the flame at a safe height above the candle bottom. It is less overheating at the bottom of your container, which decreases the chance of burning surfaces or even your hand.
Wooden wicks are also all rigid. No straightening of wicks required throughout the lifespan of the candle means less handling and manipulation of hot wax.
To Sum Up!
The amazing crackling sound similar to a fireplace is a unique feature that makes a wooden wick candle so appealing. With the simple care tips described in this guide, your scented candles will be as wonderful to hear as they are to watch.
When buying candles in The Netherlands, you should always opt for high-quality and eco-friendly ingredients.
Botanica Idea candles are handmade with scented soy wax and 100% natural wooden wicks. A perfect combo of amazing fragrances, a clean burn, and a relaxing crackling sound.