Candle safety at home: burning, ventilation, pets and essential oils

The golden rules

• Never leave a burning candle unattended. Put candles out when you leave the room, and always before you go to sleep.
• Use a stable, heat-resistant holder on a stable, heat-resistant surface. A container candle's base can get hot enough to damage a surface.
• Keep candles away from anything that can catch fire: curtains, furniture, bedding, books, paper, decorations and clothing.
• Keep them out of reach of children and pets.
• Leave space between candles. UK fire services advise at least 10 cm (4 in) between burning candles, and not placing them under shelves or other objects.
• Keep them out of draughts, away from open windows, fans and air vents. Draughts cause flickering, soot and uneven burning, and can blow flammable things into the flame.
• Never move a burning candle, or one whose wax is still liquid.

Trimming and burning

• Trim the wick to about a quarter of an inch (around 6 mm) before each burn. Long wicks make tall, smoky flames.
• Remove debris such as match ends and wick trimmings from the wax.
• Follow the label on burn time. Burning a candle for very long sessions can overheat the container.
• Stop when little wax is left. Do not burn a container candle right down to the bottom; the glass can overheat and crack.
• If the flame is very tall, smoking or flickering, put it out, let it cool, trim the wick and check for draughts before relighting.

Putting candles out

• A snuffer is the safest way and avoids spattering hot wax.
• Do not use water: it can make hot wax spit and can crack a hot glass container.
• Check the wick has stopped glowing before you leave the room.

If a candle fire starts

Ventilation and air quality

• burn candles in a reasonably ventilated room, not a small sealed one, but away from strong draughts
• keep wicks trimmed, since a clean, steady flame produces less soot
• if anyone has asthma, allergies or is sensitive to fragrance, consider unscented candles, fewer candles or shorter burns, and stop if they feel unwell

Pets

• Keep candles where pets cannot reach them. Cats jump onto surfaces and tails swish; dogs knock things over. Many fires and burns involving pets begin like this.
• Never leave a candle burning in a room where a pet is alone.
• Birds are particularly sensitive to airborne particles and fumes. Bird owners are often advised to keep candles and other scented products away from the room the bird lives in, and to ask a vet.

Essential oils: be cautious

• If you have pets, think carefully before burning candles scented with essential oils, keep the room ventilated and give pets a way to leave.
• Watch for signs of illness such as drooling, vomiting, breathing difficulty, wobbliness or lethargy, and contact a vet promptly if you notice them.
• If you make candles, remember that essential oils can also be skin sensitisers and have their own flash points; follow the supplier's safety data sheet.

When making candles