When making candles, following strict safety precautions is essential to prevent accidents, injuries, and fire hazards. Whether you’re creating candles at home or producing them commercially, prioritising safety helps protect you, your workspace, and your customers — while ensuring your finished products are high quality and safe to enjoy.
Workspace Safety
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Always work in a well-ventilated area to minimise inhaling fumes and ensure proper airflow.
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Keep your workspace free from clutter and flammable materials to reduce the risk of accidents.
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Set up a clean, stable surface for pouring, cooling, and trimming candles.
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Keep children and pets out of the workspace at all times.
Protective Gear and Equipment
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Wear heat-resistant gloves and safety goggles to protect yourself from hot wax, splashes, and spills.
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Wearing long sleeves, pants, and closed shoes to minimise exposure to heat and potential burns.v
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Use only heatproof vessels specifically designed for candle making. Inspect containers for cracks or chips before use to avoid breakage when heated.
Handling Wax, Fragrance, and Wicks
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Monitor temperature with a thermometer to avoid overheating, splattering, and fragrance loss.
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Add fragrance oils and colourants only at the recommended temperature to ensure quality, consistency, and to avoid flash fire risks.
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Use wicks suitable for your wax, vessel size, and burn profile. Always perform test burns to prevent overheating, tunnelling, and container damage.
Preventing Fire Hazards
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Never leave hot wax or burning candles unattended at any stage.
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Keep candles, hot wax, and open flames away from flammable materials like paper, curtains, fabrics, and electrical appliances.
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Extinguish candles before moving them and never burn them all the way to the base.
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Never introduce water to hot wax — it can cause dangerous sputtering and splattering.
Burn Testing and Final Checks
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Perform burn tests to ensure your candles burn cleanly, safely, and evenly before releasing or gifting them.
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Always trim wicks to the recommended length before each burn to prevent smoking and soot.
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Avoid letting candles burn for longer than 4 hours at a time to prevent overheating and ensure an even melt pool.
Final Thoughts
By following these safety precautions, you can enjoy the creative process of candle making while protecting yourself, your home, and your customers. Safe practices not only reduce risks of fire and injury but also improve the quality, consistency, and performance of your finished candles.
