Candle Making Safety Tips

Candle making can be a fun hobby and a very lucrative career. However, many people fail to take into account that they are working with hot, combustible materials. Carelessness can sometimes result in injury or property damage. That is why we have prepared this list of safety tips to help you prevent catastrophe.

Here are a few things every candle maker (from the novice to the expert) should take into account:

• Keep a box or two of baking soda nearby in case flames get out of control.

• Have a working fire extinguisher nearby.

• DO NOT pour water on any accidental fires that break out while making candles.

• Never take your eye off of melting candle wax.

• Always clean your stove before making a candle with it. A dirty stove could lead to a grease fire during the process.

• Do not melt wax in a pot over direct flame. A double boiler or wax melter is preferred.

• Keep candle making materials out of the reach of children.

• If you make a lot of candles, test your smoke alarms regularly.

• Do not make candles near any flammable materials. This includes curtains.

• Make sure you know the flashpoint and melting point of any materials you work with. Measure these temperatures with a thermometer.

• Only make candles in a well-ventilated room or area.

• Wear protective clothing while making candles. This includes oven mitts, and apron, long pants, socks, shoes, a long sleeve shirt and long pants.

• Do not pour leftover wax down the drain. It is bad for the environment and your plumbing.

These are just a few of the basic safety tips to consider. Keep these in mind and remember that you are working with fire and hot, melting wax. It is best to keep children far from your work area and have someone who knows first-aid close by. With a few precautions, you and your family will be kept out of harm’s way.