Candle Making Safety and Candle Burning Safety
Candle making is a safe and enjoyable
craft, but you should observe the following guidelines:-
Never overheat wax If was is
heated above 100°c (212°f) it will ignite:
So:-
To put out a wax fire
Never use water. Wax acts like
a chip pan fire and the fire will spreads if you use water.
You should:
- Switch off your heat source immediately
- Smother the flames with a damp cloth,
saucepan lid or fire blanket. Make sure you leave plenty of time for
the wax to cool BEFORE removing your lid damp cloth or fire blanket.
If you taker it off too soon the wax may well re-ignite.
Make sure that your work
area is organised and that you have to move your molten wax as short a
distance as possible.
Always have a damp cloth or fire blanket at hand.
If you do have a fire try
and avoid breathing in the smoke. If you have a minor burn run it under
cold water. If more serious seek medical help.
You should:
- Switch off your heat source immediately
- Smother the flames with a damp cloth,
saucepan lid or fire blanket. Make sure you leave plenty of time for
the wax to cool BEFORE removing your lid damp cloth or fire blanket.
If you taker it off too soon the wax may well re-ignite.
Protect your work surfaces Wax
will scrape off most surfaces, but the dye may stain. Use baking trays
underneath your prepared moulds so that any leaking wax will be safely
contained, and the odd drips you have can then be recycled. It is
also a good idea to protect the whole area with old newspaper.
Molten wax Remember
that molten wax always hardens when it cools down! Make sure
that you always have a plug in you sink - molten wax will plug the drain
if the wax goes down it.
Burning Candles - Saftey
- Always put candles on a heat resistant surface. Be especially careful with night lights and tea lights, which get hot enough to melt plastic. TVs are not fire-resistant objects.
- Put them in a proper holder. Candles need to be held firmly upright by the holder so they won't fall over. The holder needs to be stable too, so it won't fall over either.
- Position them away from curtains. Don't put candles near curtains or other fabrics - or furniture. And keep them out of draughts.
- Don't put them under shelves. It's easy to forget that there's a lot of heat above a burning candle. If you put it under a shelf or other surface then it can burn the surface. Make sure there's at least three feet (one metre) between a candle and any surface above it.
- Keep clothes and hair away. If there's any chance you could lean across a candle and forget it's there, put it somewhere else. You don't want to set fire to your clothes or your hair.
- Keep children and pets away. Candles should be out of reach of children and pets.
- Keep candles apart. Leave at least four inches (10cm) between two burning candles.
- Take care with votive or scented candles. These kinds of candles turn to liquid to release their fragrance, so put them in a glass or metal holder.
- Don't move them when they're burning. Extinguish candles before moving them. Also, don't let anything fall into the hot wax like match sticks.
- Don't leave them burning. Extinguish candles before you leave a room. Never go to sleep with a candle still burning. And never leave a burning candle or oil burner in a child's bedroom.
- Use a snuffer or a spoon to put them out. It's safer than blowing them, which can send sparks and hot wax flying.
- Double-check they're out. Candles that have been put out can go on smouldering and start a fire. Make sure they're completely out.
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Candles
on the Web Ltd, 15 Cumberland Business Park, Cumberland Avenue, London
NW10 7RT.
Tel 0208 961 9621.
Candles on the Web Ltd is
a subsidiary of the Candle Shop (London) Ltd, formerly situated in the basement
of the piazza in London's Covent Garden.
We
regret that we cannot answer candle making queries on the phone.
Copyright © 2001 Candles on the Web Ltd. All rights reserved.
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