How to Fix Candle Tunneling

Watching your candle tunnel can be a very annoying sight. It makes the candle look displeasing, and at the end of the day, it does not allow you to get your money’s worth.

Burning a candle seems very easy – light the wick and watch it burn (and enjoy the scent if it is a scented candle.) However, we often end up with an uneven candle that doesn’t completely burn.

The good part is; there is a right way to burn a candle from start to finish without tunneling. This way, you get value for your money from a beautiful, evenly burnt candle.

What Is Candle Tunneling?

Candle tunneling is when a candle burns through the middle, burning a little part of the wax and leaving a big chunk of wax behind. Sadly, this affects every type of candle, no matter how expensive it might be. Once the tunneling begins, it will continue until you fix it. And if you continue to burn that candle, you will end up with a big chunk of unused candle wax.

How To Prevent Candle Tunneling

Wondering how to prevent candle tunneling and get your money’s worth? Here are a few ways:

Trim the Wick

Before lighting your candle, you should first trim the wick. Once you do this, your candle will burn without producing black marks on the container. This way, charred wick particles won’t fall into the melted wax.

Using a wick cutter or scissors, trim the candle wick to a quarter of an inch. Some candles are already cut before they’re sold; if you buy one of these, you can skip this step. And according to the Lab manager for Newell Brands Home Fragrance Test Laboratory, Kris Powers, you should always cut off the wick’s tip before re-using a candle to prevent particles from falling into the wax. 

Next, allow the edges of the first layer of the candle to melt to prevent tunneling. 

If you want to prevent tunneling, this is very critical. Allow your candle’s top layer to burn for a long time; this way, the wax at the top layer completely melts from the candle’s wick to its container. Doing this will get you plenty of scents (for scented candles) and avoid tunneling.

According to Powers, you should always burn your candles for a minimum of 3 to 4 hours to ensure the wax fully melts and avoid tunneling.

Different candles have their requirements, so you may not need to burn your candle for that long to take off the top layer. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions for the candle you buy.  Carrying out this process on a new candle creates a memory for the wax, so it can burn the same way when you light it again. 

Lastly, when burning your candle, prevent air drafts.

Another reason for candle tunneling is air drafts. When the flame of a candle becomes unsteady due to air, it burns in one direction instead of burning straight. This causes the candle to burn wax unevenly, which leads to tunneling and sometimes darkens the candle’s container. Avoid keeping your candle close to an open window or constant airflow.

How To Fix a Candle That Has Tunneled

Now, we have already talked about how to prevent tunneling if you’re burning your candle for the first time. However, if you have an already tunneled candle, there are ways to get it back to burning normally. 

Aluminum Foil

Cover the top of your candle container with aluminum foil, then make a hole that is big enough for the flame to burn. The hole should be up to an inch at least to allow oxygen to keep the flame alive.

Now that the container is covered with the foil let it burn for a while. After some time, the uneven wax melts away, leaving an even candle. The aluminum foil helps to trap enough heat in the container to melt the wax at the edge of the container.

Metal candle toppers can serve as an alternative to aluminum foil. Both do the same job, but candle toppers are aesthetically pleasing.

Mug Warmer

A mug warmer will come in handy to fix a candle with deep tunneling because aluminum foil and candle toppers may not work in this case. Mug warmers can quickly heat the whole candle and melt the chunks of wax to give off scents.

This is especially useful in places that don’t permit open flames. This method does not require a flame, so the wax does not burn away. It appears to be the most efficient, allowing you to re-use the wax until it loses its scents. 

Conclusion

With the above-listed tips, you can quickly fix candle tunneling and enjoy every penny spent on scented candles. You won’t have to worry about your candle burning unevenly anymore.

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