I know everyone wonders why there is black smoke coming off their candles after they light them or why the wax builds up on the sides of the jar instead of all melting and burning evenly. Well how you maintain your candles and their wicks are a big part of why those things happen.

In this article I'm going to show you how to get the best burn time out of your candles and better quality burn from them as well.

The most important thing to maintain on your candles is the wick. You will want to keep the wicks trimmed to a length of about ¼ inch and discontinue use when ½ inch of was remains in the bottom. This maintenance is with any jar candle not just the Home Interior's candles.

Place your candle in a draft-free area and always place on a flat surface like a table. Make sure the surface of where you place your candle is non-flammable and heat resistant. Also make sure there is nothing flammable near the burning candle. Potpourri is extremely flammable and I know it's easy to decorate with but please don't put it near any flames or you'll find yourself redecorating your whole home! Be careful of wooden coffee tables (unfortunately I learned this one the hard way and left a big black circle on mine) if you feel you just must have a candle on a wooden surface try and put a doily or something down underneath it to protect the wood (again something non-flammable would be best).

Keep you candle free of debris and out of reach of not only children but any pets you may have as well. I can't tell you how many times our poor cat has tried lightening himself on fire! Burnt hair is not the scent we like to go for nor is it a scent I think they plan on releasing anytime soon.

Whenever possible your candle(s) should be burned for sufficient time to allow the pool of melted wax to reach the outer edge. This will help with the wax build up on the sides and give you better quality burn time.

And last purchase a candle topper for you candle. Not only do they look nice but they actually help the quality of burn time you get out of your candle, by maintaining the proper air supply that gets to your candle it will also help with the wax build up on the sides of the jar. You won't waste any of the wax. It also helps to eliminate that black smoke you get from the wick. I know a lot of people buy toppers because they look nice but they also help you to get more burn time out of your candles as well letting you enjoy the fragrances of your candle(s) longer.