Candles are a beautiful way to add ambience and amazing aromas to any room, but when they start crackling it can be quite annoying. It could even present a danger if hot embers leave the candle container. In this blog post, we will explore the reasons why candles may start crackling and provide an easy fix guide so you can get your candle back to its former glory!
The reasons why candles crackle.
There are several reasons why you may find that your candle has started to crackle and here are the most common ones to look out for:
- The candle wick is too long: When the candle wick is not trimmed to the correct length before use it can cause the candle flame to be too high. This can lead to the candle smelling burnt but also means that the candle wick is not able to soak up the correct amount of wax which leads to crackling.
- Mushrooming candle wick: When a candle wick mushrooms you will notice that there is a large ball type mass at the tip of the wick. This is a build-up of carbon and is a major cause of crackling in candles when the carbon deposit heats up.
- Moisture in the wax: There is one thing that really does not mix well and that is molten candle wax and moisture. If there is any moisture present in the wax it can heat up rapidly and expand out of the wax creating a popping or crackling sound.
- Impurities on the wax surface: When you do not use your candle for a long period of time it is very common for a layer of dust to settle on top of the wax layer. When the candle is then burnt this dust layer also burns and usually it creates a crackling or sizzling kind of sound, it also smells very unpleasant as well!
- Your candle is meant to crackle: That’s right some candles are actually designed to crackle. If your candle has a wooden wick instead of a standard cotton wick you will find that the wooden wick crackles when burnt. They are designed to do this and it adds to the relaxational qualities of the candle.
How to stop your candle from crackling.
Now that we know all of the common causes of a crackling candle let’s take a look at some easy fixes that you can use to solve the issue.
Trimming the wick to the correct length.
Making sure that the wick is trimmed to the correct length will help to eliminate two of the main causes of a crackling candle. Both mushrooming and having a cotton wick that is too long contribute massively to a crackling wick. To fix this issue you should make sure to trim the wick to 1/4 inch or 6mm before each use.
Keep the candle dry.
Keeping the candle away from moisture or a damp environment when not in use will help stop the candle from crackling when lit. You will find that most moisture-related crackling will happen when the candle is used in the bathroom or stored there for a while. To stop this from happening, make sure that when not in use store your candle in a cool and dry place.
If you are making your own candles try to keep all of your equipment dry during the manufacturing process. When it comes to cleaning down make sure that all equipment is thoroughly dry afterwards.
Stop surface impurities.
One of the main ways that a candle starts crackling is from surface impurities on the top layer of wax. This includes dust, hair and every other particle that you will find floating around in your home. Not only does this make a lit candle crackle, but it also makes the candle smell burnt. To stop this from happening you can use a candle lid or make a temporary cover to go over the candle when not in use.
Wood wick candles.
If you have a candle that has a wood wick you will find that no matter which of the steps above you try it will still crackle during every use. This is how they are designed to work and it adds to the relaxational properties of the candle, so sit back, unwind and enjoy your crackling candle experience.
In conclusion.
We hope that this article has helped you to understand why your candle has been crackling and how you can stop it from happening in the future.
To summarise this article your candle will be crackling for one of these five reasons.
- Wick length not correct.
- Mushrooming at wick top.
- Moisture in the wax or wick.
- Dust and other surface impurities on the wax.
- It is a wooden wick candle.
If you have any other tips or tricks that help to stop a candle from crackling then please let us know in the comments below. We would love to hear from you! Thanks for reading!
I started Scents and Aroma as a way to share my knowledge from owning a candle, wax melt, diffuser and bath bomb business so that you can make your home smell lovely too.
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