Candle Safety Tips to Give Your Customers

A care card is where you can say more than the warning label has room for. The National Candle Association (NCA) and CPSC agree on the core: keep an eye on the flame, keep the candle on a steady heat-safe surface away from anything that burns, and keep it out of reach of children and pets. The NCA adds trimming the wick and limiting burn time. The warning label itself follows ASTM F2058 (see our guide). This card is extra, not a replacement. I am a candle maker, not a safety expert, so keep to what the sources say.

What tips should go on the card?

All of these come from the NCA's candle safety pages unless noted:

• Trim the wick to 1/4 inch (6 mm) before each use. The NCA says this prevents tall flames and soot. It also says to remove wick trimmings or matches from the wax pool.
• Burn within sight. The NCA's label page says to keep an eye on a burning candle and put it out before leaving the room. CPSC says the same: keep burning candles "within sight" and put them all out before leaving the room.
• Steady, heat-resistant surface. Use a sturdy holder that will not tip. Keep candles away from drafts, fans and vents.
• Away from things that burn. The NCA says at least 12 inches (30 cm) from curtains, bedding, books and similar items. Its label page names furniture, drapes, bedding and carpets.
• Out of reach. The NCA and CPSC both say children and pets should not be able to reach or knock over a candle.
• Spacing. Keep candles at least 3 inches (8 cm) apart, so they do not melt into each other.
• Do not move a candle while the wax is liquid.
• Put it out safely. Use a snuffer or blow it out, not water, which can make hot wax splatter. Check that the wick is fully out, and let the wax cool before you handle it.
• Burn time. The NCA says not to burn longer than 4 hours at a time, and to let the candle cool at least 2 hours before relighting. It also says not to exceed the maker's instructions.
• Stop at about 1/2 inch (13 mm) of wax. The NCA says to discard a container candle at that point.
• First burn. The NCA says to burn about one hour per inch of diameter, so the top melts edge to edge. Otherwise you risk a memory ring that causes lasting tunneling.
• Storage. The NCA says to keep candles in a cool, dark, dry place with the lid on, and says highly fragranced candles last about 6 to 12 months.

Worked example: a care card for a 3 inch jar

These are example numbers. Your jar is 3 inches (7.6 cm) across.

• First burn: 1 hour per inch x 3 inches = about 3 hours, under the 4 hour limit.
• Later burns: up to 4 hours, then cool at least 2 hours. That is a 6 hour cycle (4 + 2).
• Stop at 1/2 inch of wax.

Now a 5 inch (12.7 cm) jar. The first-burn rule gives 5 hours, which is more than the 4 hour limit. The NCA pages I read do not say which one wins. I would print the 4 hour limit, since it is the shorter one, and use your own burn test to see whether the melt pool reaches the edge. Our burn test guide covers the checks, and our two wick guide covers wide jars.

Here is sample card text built from those tips:

> Trim the wick to 1/4 inch before every burn. Burn within sight and put it out before you leave the room. Use a steady heat-safe surface, away from anything that can catch fire. Keep out of reach of children and pets. Burn no more than 4 hours at a time and let it cool 2 hours before relighting. Stop when 1/2 inch of wax is left.

Only print a burn time or a first-burn time you have tested. Test in your own jar with your own wick and wax, because the NCA's numbers are general and your candle may behave differently.

Where do the numbers conflict?

Sources differ in wording, and I would not hide that. CPSC says "within sight" and to put candles out before leaving the room. The NCA's safety page says never to leave a burning candle unattended, and its label page also says to put it out before leaving. They all point the same way: never leave a lit candle alone. Say it plainly on the card.

On numbers, the NCA's safety page gives a 12 inch distance from flammables, but I did not find a distance in the CPSC release. Do not claim a figure comes from CPSC unless you read it there.

Why bother with a care card?

CPSC's 2018 holiday release reported averages for 2012 to 2014 across November and December: about 1,200 candle fires, 10 deaths, 130 emergency room injuries and $42.2 million in property loss. Those are old figures and cover two months only, so I would not print them on a card. They are a reminder of why the card is worth the space.

Common mistakes

• Printing a burn time you never tested.
• A card with 20 tips nobody reads. Pick the five that matter most.
• Leaving out "keep away from children and pets."
• Telling customers to put water on a candle.
• Contradicting your warning label. Match the wording.
• Not updating the card after you change the wax, jar or wick.

Questions

Can a care card replace the warning label?

I did not find a source that allows that. ASTM F2058 speaks of the unit of sale, so put the warning on the candle and use the card for the extras.

How long should the card be?

Short enough to read at a glance. The NCA's label page names three rules (burn within sight, keep away from things that burn, keep away from children and pets) as the core. Start there and add what your own testing supports.

Should I print how many hours the candle lasts?

Only a figure you tested on your own candle. A number copied from a supplier's chart or another maker's label is a guess for your jar.