Candle Obsession

This is Why Candle Jars Easily Look Black

Black is Back

Have you ever noticed that your new candle jar sometimes starts to turn black and darker the longer you burn your candle? It can be pretty bothersome and really ruin the aesthetics of an otherwise beautiful candle.

Candle Jar looking Black

Well, rest assured, in this article, we are going to go over why your candle jar turns black and how to prevent and fix it.

Why Does My Candle Jar Turn Black?

First things first, why does my candle jar turn black?

A scientific explanation is required.

See, when a candle is lit, the flame’s heat melts the wax near the wick (duh!). This liquid wax is drawn up through the wick by what is known as capillary action.

This liquid wax breaks down into hydrogen and carbon and is then vaporized by the candle flame. After a reaction with oxygen, it becomes heat, light, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.

The black residue building up on your glass is a result from the unburned carbon (also known as soot).

This soot ends up on your candle jar because soot is so fine that it can easily float through the air.

Essentially, soot is caused when the wax being drawn up through the wick exceeds the rate by which it is burned. So the excess wax becomes soot instead.

The mismatch between wax absorption and the rate by which it is burned will cause an incomplete burn and soot production.

Several factors influence the amount of soot.

Factors That Influence The Amount Of Soot

The type of wax being used: Different waxes produce different amounts of soot. Paraffin wax tends to produce more soot than natural soy or beeswax.

The size of the wick: A long wick will draw up more melted wax (due to a larger flame). Wax will be pulled up quicker than it can be burned, causing carbon build-up. In addition, a longer wick will curl easier (known as the dreaded mushroom wick), which will cause a more uneven burn.

Room temperature: The hotter the room, the less heat your flame needs to give off to melt the wax. Therefore, candle wax will melt faster and cause an uneven burn.

Poorly ventilated areas: A lack of oxygen will cause more soot production.

Flickering flame: A flickering flame can cause an uneven burn as parts of the wax will be burning quicker than other parts. This can also cause candle tunnelling.

How To Prevent My Candle Jar From Turning Black?

As you probably noticed, the main reason for soot production and your candle jar turning black is the production of soot directly caused by an uneven burn.

Therefore, to fix this problem from ever happening, we need to ensure an even burn. Here is what you can do:

Trim the wick before each use. Ensure that your wick is about 1/4″ inch in length above the wax. To maintain this, trim the wick before each use, and don’t burn the candle for more than 4 hours.

Burn your candle in a well-ventilated room: Remember how carbon floats around and lands on surfaces near your candle (including the jar)? Use your candles in a well-ventilated room so the particles can escape. This will also ensure enough oxygen reaches your candle flame.

Use a metal or ceramic candle holder. This is not so much of a preventative tip, but is useful nonetheless. Ceramic or metal candle holders are more difficult to discolour than glass and will not show as much soot.

Ensure you clean your candles and remove dust from the wax. Do this before every burn, as impurities and dust cause soot build-up.

Use quality candles. Lower quality waxes and wicks will contain more impurities and additives and be manufactured to lower standards. This will likely create an uneven burn and subsequent soot build-up.

How To Clean Your Candle Jar!

If your candle glass jar is already black, don’t worry! It’s pretty simple to clean.

Use a damp cloth or sponge to scrub away the soot. If it is especially stubborn you can also mix the water with some soap before rubbing off the soot. Ensure it dries completely before using your candle again.

It is a good idea to clean your candle glass jar regularly. Over time, your jar will collect dust from your house, which will burn in the candle, causing marks on your glass. Ensure to clean your jar when you spot a build-up of dust. This will also help the candle burn consistently and prevent marks on the glass.

What more great tips or ideas check out Candle Obsessions Need to Knows Articles

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