Making homemade candles saves you money because buying them from the store becomes costly. Candle making is a satisfying and rewarding activity that can serve as a creative outlet for expressing yourself. The process of making candles is straightforward and requires candle making supplies that are readily available. Making your own candles also allows you to select your desired scent, wax type, and candle shape.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
While candle-making is a simple process, you may occasionally experience some problems, such as wet spots and frosting. You can reduce or prevent these issues by following best-practice tips and techniques. Here are some of the issues that you may face as a candle maker and how to troubleshoot them:
Mushrooming Wick
Mushrooming occurs if the wick is too long or if it is too large for the diameter of the candle. Some fragrances and fragrance loads may interfere with combustion and cause mushrooming. It can also be caused by using a wick that is incompatible with the candle recipe you are making. Address this issue by using a wick that matches the diameter of the candle. Conducting a burn test using a scent-free candle before adding fragrance oils will tell you if you’ve chosen the right wick.
Cracking
Cracking occurs when you use candle vessels that are cold or make your candles in a cold room. Putting your candle glass into a freezer or fridge to speed up the settling process will also lead to cracking. You can prevent cracking by allowing your candle to cool at moderate room temperature. Pre-heating your candle vessels before pouring in the wax also helps to slow down the cooling processes and prevent cracking. If your candle has cracks on the surface, gently apply hot air to it with a hairdryer or heat gun.
Sink Holes
Sinkholes happen when candle wax shrinks during cooling. You can address this issue by adding hot wax to fill the holes. Add the hot wax when the candle has fully solidified. To reduce or prevent the occurrence of sinkholes during the early stages of candle making, pour the wax into the mold at a lower temperature to minimize shrinkage. Pre-heating the mold before pouring the wax can also reduce shrinking and minimize the occurrence of sinkholes.
Tunneling
This occurs when the inner part of the candle close to the wick melts faster than the outside. This leads to a large proportion of leftover wax after the wick burns out. Tunneling happens when you use a small wick that is unable to generate enough heat to melt all wax. Tunneling is also caused by improper burning, where the candle extinguishes before the melt pool can reach the edge. You can prevent tunneling by using a larger wick that creates a melt pool that reaches the edge. If the tunneling is caused by improper burning, allow your candle to burn for longer until the melt pool reaches the edges.
Self-Extinguishing Wick
The wick may burn down to the wax and extinguish before creating a melt pool if it is trimmed too short. Address this issue by removing wax from the candle to produce a longer wick above the surface. You can also trim a longer wick above the surface. The wick may also burn and go out quickly if it lacks proper wax priming. Prevent this issue by dipping the wick in melted wax before making your candles.
Poor Scent Throw
A poor throw is when the candle fails to produce the desired scent. This is caused by using a denser type of wax and a less volatile fragrance oil. It may also be caused by inadequate curing and using a wick that doesn’t match your candle size. This problem can be solved by using candle making supplies with the right type and amount of ingredients. Make your candles with wax that is less dense and well-balanced fragrance oil to achieve a good throw. Use the right wick size according to the candle’s diameter, and cure your candle before burning it.
Get the Right Candle Making Supplies for Your Homemade Candles Today
Using the right type and proportion of candle making supplies solves many problems you may experience as a candle maker. By following the above tips and using the right ingredients, you can make candles that match your specifications. Contact a trusted supplier today and get the correct ingredients for your homemade candles.
