More than one way to Light a Candle
Found yourself in a jam and need to light a candle but don’t have a lighter to start the wick?
Maybe you’re out camping and forgot your matches. Or perhaps you don’t like using lighters because they can be a fire hazard. Maybe you’re at home and don’t have a lighter lying around.
What if there is a blackout and candles are your only light source?
No matter the reason, learning how to light a candle without a lighter is relatively easy. In this blog post, we’ll show you nine different ways to do it. So read on and learn some new tricks!
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1. Uses Matches (Difficulty: Easy)
If you don’t have a lighter around, using a match is the best option. Strike the match and apply it to the wick. We found applying the match horizontally to the candle works the best. Hold it there for about 5 seconds until the wick catches fire.
This works excellent for candles without a container since you can easily access the wick no matter how melted the candle is. However, getting your hand further down to light the wick may be tricky if the candle is in a container. You’re better off with some other methods we’ve mentioned.
2. Use Your Stove Or Other Heating Elements (Difficulty: Easy)
Heating elements around your house naturally generate heat, making them perfect to light your candle.
Ideally, you want to use your stovetop, although an oven or toaster will also work. Even a heater with exposed elements can do the job.
This best works with candles with long wicks, like tapers, since you can safely light them up. You can also do this method with shorter wicks though it’ll be more challenging.
If your wick is too short, you can improvise. For example, use a dry spaghetti noodle or even a pick and light that up first. Then, use this to light your candle. You can even let the spaghetti or pick burn out near the candle wick to increase your chance of lighting the candle.
3. The Battery + Foil Method (Difficulty: Medium)
Most people have some aluminum foil and a battery lying around, so this method comes in very handy.
- Firstly, cut a piece of aluminum foil about twice the length of the battery and an inch wide.
- Pinch the foil in the center to make a ‘V’ shape.
- Hold both ends of the aluminum on either end of the battery. The current from the battery will now flow through the aluminum.
- Touch the pinched part of the aluminum onto the wick. It should eventually heat the wick enough to light it.
Tip: You can also use a cotton ball. Take some of the cotton ball and place it around the wick. You can then light this with the battery and foil.
4. Use A Steel Wool Pad to light (Difficulty: Hard)
Steel wool pads can be used to create a spark that will light your candle.
- Hold something made of steel – like a key or kitchen knife – and rub the steel wool pad against it.
- Rub this on the wick. The sparks will eventually light the candle.
5. Flint (Difficulty: Hard)
This method is suitable for when you are camping as flint is a common outdoor item.
- Strike the flint against a metal that contains iron (this will come with the flint), so sparks are formed.
- Do this near the candle to ensure the sparks hit the wick. You should be greeted with a flaming candle in no time!
6. Light Using A Magnifying Glass (Difficulty: Hard)
This method entirely depends on if there is sunlight or not. And to be honest, if there is sunlight, then it defeats the purpose of using a candle in the first place, right?
Focus the sunlight on a small point on the base of the candlewick. After some time, this should light the wick.
Tip: You can light dry bark, tissues, or paper with the magnifying glass and then use this to light the candle.