Where does candle wax go when you burn a candle?

Candles are mesmerizing, don’t you think? When burning a candle I can’t keep my eyes of off them. Not only are candles beautiful when you burn them, they’re also wonderful decoration and aromatherapy. Burning a candle might seem easy, but have you ever wondered where candle wax goes when you burn a candle? Is it safe to breathe in? We’ll explain it today!

So, where does candle wax go when you burn a candle?

When you burn a candle it undergoes a process called combustion. This is a chemical reaction between the candle wax and oxygen to produce heat and light. The flame melts the wax near the wick and draws it up the wick by capillary action.

After the wax reaches the flame it vaporizes into heat, light, water vapor and carbon dioxide. How much of the wax is burned depends on a variety of factors such as the size, the type of wax and how long the candle burns. Rapeseedwax burns up to 80% longer than paraffin candles.

Do you breathe in candle wax?

Now that you know that there’s a chemical reaction we can understand your next question: are you breathing in the candle wax? Don’t worry, you’re not breating in candle wax. The combustion process transforms it into a few different compounds such as water vapor and carbon dioxide. How much carbon dioxide releases depends on the wax you use. For example: rapeseed wax releases less carbon dioxide than paraffin candles. When burning a candle these byproducts do get in the air, but in a minimal concentration that is not harmful to breathe in small quantities.

Do not burn low quality candles

Please keep in mind that the quality of your candle does matter a great deal. The amount of candles you burn also matters. Low-quality candles often contain additives or impurities and can potentially release harmful substances in the air. At Canndle we only produce high quality candles that are tested thoroughly and don’t contain harmful additives. Our candles are made from natural vegan rapeseedwax and high quality fragrances. Our wicks are tested to make sure you can enjoy your candle for as long as possible with a healthy meltpool.

Why do candles evaporate, but wax melts don’t?

Both candles and wax melts consist of wax (in our case of vegan rapeseed wax). There’s a difference though. Because wax melts don’t have a wick they require an external heat source. The wax isn’t pulled in to the wick when heated and therefore doesn’t evaporate. This means you can enjoy your wax melts for a longer time, although heating and re-heating the wax does mean it’ll lose it’s scent a little each time.

What can you do to elongate the use of your candle?

Although the quality of the candle is important for the length of the burn, there are some things you can do to elongate the use. Make sure you burn your candle for at least two to three hours when you first burn it (or as long as it takes to reach a full meltpool). Trim the wick after each burn, because a longer wick will create more black soot and a larger flame. Are you ready to buy a candle that you’ll enjoy for a long, long time?