Candle Safety Rules

The National Candle Association urges consumers to follow these rules for candle safety.

Always keep a burning candle within sight. Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or before going to sleep.

Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Place candles away from drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc.

Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets. Don’t place lighted candles where they might be knocked over by children or pets.

Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch each time before burning. Long or crooked wicks cause uneven burning and dripping.

Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use.
The holder should be heat resistant, sturdy and large enough to contain drips or melted wax.

Be sure the candleholder is placed on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
This will also help prevent possible heat damage to underlying surfaces and prevent glass containers from cracking or breaking.

Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.
Always read and follow the manufacturer’s use and safety instructions carefully.
Don’t burn a candle longer than the manufacturer recommends.

Keep burning candles away from drafts, vents, ceiling fans and air currents.
This will help prevent rapid, uneven burning, and avoid flame flare-ups and sooting.
Drafts can also blow lightweight curtains or papers into the flame where they could catch fire.

Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room.
Don’t burn too many candles in a small room or in a “tight” home where air exchange is limited.

Don’t burn a candle all the way down.
Extinguish the flame if it comes too close to the holder or container. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 2 inches of wax remains or ½ inch if in a container.

Never touch or move a burning candle when the wax is liquid.

Never use a knife or sharp object to remove wax drippings from a glass holder. It might scratch, weaken, or cause the glass to break upon subsequent use.

Place burning candles at least three inches apart.
This ensures they won’t melt one another, or create drafts that can cause the candles to flare.

Use a snuffer to extinguish a candle. It’s the safest way to prevent hot wax splatters.

Never extinguish candles with water.
The water can cause the hot wax to splatter and might cause a glass container to break.

Be very careful if using candles during a power outage. Flashlights and other battery-powered lights are safer sources of light during a power failure.

Make sure a candle is completely extinguished and the wick is no longer glowing before leaving the room.

Extinguish a candle if it flickers repeatedly, smokes, or the flame becomes too high. The candle isn’t burning properly. Let it cool, trim the wick, check for drafts and then re-light.

Never use a candle as a night light.