Having candles in your home will be useful for various reasons. Many people love having scented candles that they can burn when they want to relax.
Candles can also be great when your power goes out. When you need to light the room, it’s important to have emergency candles to utilize.
If the candles are dirty due to being in storage for a long time, it’s not going to be pleasant to handle them. How can you clean dirty candles safely?
Continue reading to learn how to clean dirty candles the right way. This will ensure that you can keep your candles clean without it being an issue.
Clean the Candles Using Cotton Balls and Alcohol
The standard method for cleaning candles only requires you to have cotton balls and rubbing alcohol. You dip the cotton balls in rubbing alcohol and then rub the candles to clean them.
It’s a pretty easy thing to do that won’t take a lot of time. Generally, you’re just going to be cleaning dust off of the candles.
If your candles have been in storage for quite some time, they’re likely going to be very dusty. A few passes with the cotton balls will fix things right up so you can use the candles as intended.
Of course, if the candles are substantially dirtier, it might take a bit more effort. Dirtier candles will require a bit more rubbing to get them fully clean.
Just keep at it, and you should be able to improve the condition of the candles. Do this for all of your candles, and you’ll be happy with the results.
You Can Also Dust Candles Using a Nylon Cloth
It’s also fine to dust candles using a nylon cloth. Any type of soft cloth should work to get the job done.
You’re simply going to be dusting the candles gently with the cloth. Gently rub the candles to remove any dust that is present.
Most people use a dry cloth to dust candles. If the candles are a bit dirtier than usual, you might want to use a slightly damp cloth to get the job done.
Be sure to dry the candles if you use a damp cloth. You don’t want to leave moisture behind since that could be detrimental.
What Should You Do About Soot?
You might be concerned about soot and how to clean it off of the candles. Soot isn’t something that you need to be overly concerned with.
It isn’t harmful and it’s normal for candles to have some signs of soot. If you want to, it’s possible to take certain steps to make candle soot less of a problem.
Trimming the wick of the candle ¼ of an inch each time before you use it is a good idea. This keeps the flame at the right height so you don’t have more soot than you should.
You should also try to avoid flame flickering. If the flame blows in the wind that will cause more problems. Even when taking the right precautions, you might wind up with some soot marks on your candles.
These can be scraped away if you’d like to get rid of them. Many enthusiasts simply use their fingernails to scrape the soot away, but you could use just about any type of basic scraping instrument.
Store Candles Properly
Storing candles properly will help you to avoid getting them dirty. If you want the candles to stay nice, it’s wise to put them in a safe spot.
Keep them out of the sun because candles can and will melt if exposed to too much sunlight. Even bright indoor light has the potential to be a problem.
This is why many people store candles in pantry cupboards or other such spots. Ideally, you want to find a cool and dark place for the candles where they will remain safe.
You also need to make sure that they’re stored somewhere dry. A pantry cupboard will indeed fit the bill nicely.
It should also be fine to keep candles in a drawer of some sort so long as you place them inside carefully. You’ll also be able to keep them away from dust by putting them in a good spot that’s out of the way.
You will keep dust and debris issues to a minimum when storing candles the right way. It’ll protect the wax and ensure that the candles smell great as intended.
It isn’t hard to find a good spot to store candles. So long as you have somewhere cool, dark, and dry in your home everything is going to be just fine.
Do Candles Go Bad Over Time?
No, candles don’t necessarily “go bad” over time, but they do degrade in quality. If a candle is very old, it might wind up being quite hard to light it.
An old candle might not burn properly either. How long a candle will last depends on factors such as what type of wax was used to make the candle.
It’s also important to store the candle properly. An improperly stored candle isn’t going to stay good for as long as a properly stored one.
You’ll also want to know that scented candles might lose their scent over time. If you want to make sure that you enjoy your candle, it’s best to light it within twelve to sixteen months of buying it.
Note that it’s hard to determine the exact amount of time a candle will “stay good.” It just depends on so many factors that it isn’t easy to give exact information.
Do Candles Help You Relax?
Many people use candles as a way to relax. It can be very soothing to light a candle and just sit down to reflect on your day.
Scented candles are especially pleasant. You might enjoy lighting candles with your favorite scents to help you unwind.
This is a very common practice since candles can be purchased at low prices. Many consider lighting candles to be like a mild form of therapy.
Some say that using candles helps them to relax and relieve stress. Of course, your mileage may vary depending on your sensibilities.
If you like candles, it makes sense to keep some around. You might use them for special occasions or you might light them regularly when you want to wind down after a tough day at work.
Keep Candles Away From Pets
Another thing that’s worth mentioning is that pets should be kept far away from candles. Pets aren’t always smart and they will get into things that they shouldn’t.
Dogs might sometimes chew on things or eat things that will harm them. If a dog eats a long wick or other portions of a candle, it could really hurt the poor animal.
If this ever happens, you’ll need to take the dog to the vet right away. To avoid such a dramatic situation, it’s best to keep your candles away from your pets.
Be very careful with your candles when you own cats and dogs. You’ll need to watch the candles while they’re burning, and you’ll have to store them safely to keep the pets from messing with them.
Sometimes the appealing scents of the candles might make pets want to nibble on them. Be mindful of this and take precautions.
Tips for Dealing with Candle Wax Drippings
Sometimes candle wax will drip onto things if you aren’t careful. This can happen for a number of different reasons.
A breeze would blow the candle a bit and cause the wax to drip onto the table or something else that’s below the candle. This can be annoying since the wax might get on a tablecloth that you like.
If this occurs, you can get the candle wax off of the tablecloth. You just need to put the tablecloth in the freezer for thirty minutes first.
Doing this will allow you to easily scrape the wax off of the cloth. There might still be a stain on the tablecloth, though.
If the stain is an issue, try putting a paper bag over the stain and using an iron. Setting the iron to low heat should make it so that the bag will absorb the wax stain.
It’s a handy trick that can keep a nice tablecloth from getting ruined. You can also wash the tablecloth and use a bit of laundry detergent on it.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning dirty candles won’t be that difficult if you approach things the right way. You should be able to get rid of dust and minor grime by using cotton balls and rubbing alcohol.
This will ensure that your candles look nice again so you can use them whenever you’re ready. You could also wipe the candles off with a simple nylon cloth if they aren’t that dirty.
Getting rid of soot marks will typically require a bit of scraping. You can use a basic scraping tool to do this if you feel that you must.
Storing candles properly is an important aspect of keeping them clean and safe. Remember to put your candles in a dry, cool, and dark location where they will be fine.
Try to use your candles while they’re still good, too. They don’t “go bad,” but they might lose their scent over time if you don’t use them.
Enjoy your candles and be sure to keep them safe. So long as you’re careful to store your candles well, it’s likely that you won’t encounter many issues with the candles getting super dirty.
I have two Associate’s degrees, one in Medical Assisting and the other in Computer Technician, and I am roughly five classes from a bachelor’s degree. Though I never ended up working in the medical field, I have five and a half years of experience in IT. I recently became a stay-at-home mom to my two young boys, and I’m so excited to start this adventure with them! In my spare time, I love to bake and read pretty much anything I can get my hands on.