How to Store Candles & Melts

How you store your candles and melts is extremely important to their shelf life. They will last much longer if you take care of how and where these are put away.

Here at NI Candles, we want to give you some advice as to how to ensure these are stored away carefully to get the best use out of them.

General Advice (this is the same for all candles)

• Store them below 25C, to prevent them from softening or melting
• Keep them in a dry place, as water can ruin them
• Avoid storing in direct sunlight as the colours and scents are prone to fading when in the sun for too long
• Most importantly, fire safety - ensure they are kept away from the reach of all children, pets or items that can catch fire easily

Storing particular types of Candle

There are specific ways to store certain types of candles, as the ingredients in them respond differently. Here are some of the main examples:

Candles containing vanilla

These can discolour and turn yellow over time and this is accelerated when using tins as the metal reacts quicker with the fragrance. Unfortunately, there is no way to stop this discolouration but storing them below 25C and keeping them away from daylight, will help slow the process.

Jar candles

Candles in jars or tumblers are great because of they last a long time and the fragrance rarely spoils. As they are already in containers, they are easy to store one on top of the other without ruining the ones underneath (as long as they are stored in a way that they won’t fall). As long as the lid is placed back on, they will keep their scent.

Small candles or votives

These are best stored in a box that has dividers so that they are not touching, as it is possible they could melt together.

Pillar candles

If these are already in glass jars then they can be safely stored standing upright. If not, then lay them flat to prevent them from warping.

Taper candles

Again, these need to be flat. These are extremely prone to scratches and damage, so take extra care when storing these. You might want to wrap them in tissue paper separately to prevent wear and tear, and pop them in a box. Galvanized boxes are the best option as they are resistant to temperatures, so they won’t get too hot or cold.

Wax melts

These are one of the safest types of wax products, as they are placed onto a Wax Burner, so don’t have a naked flame. To store them, keep them in their original boxes to stop them from sticking together. If you don’t have the original box, then you could try individual trays, like ice cube trays.

How to make Candles last longer

Here are some handy tips on getting the most life out of your candles:

• Burn for the recommended burn time (usually 4 hours but can be 2 depending on the size of the candle) on their first use, to allow the top layer to fully melt
• Trim the wick, as this makes it last longer and ensure it is re-centred after each use, to prevent blackening the glass
• Don’t use them in a draughty area
• Ensure the lid is placed back on jar candles after use for safety

Here at NI Candles, we want you to get the very best out of your product, so if you would like to discuss any of the above in more detail, then please do not hesitate to contact us.