By Jo Ostgarden
Few things can create or shift a mood, or transform an environment or space as quickly as a lighted candle. They’re an ideal gift to give and an ideal gift to get. As St. Francis once quipped: “All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”
But if you use them in your home or office with regularity, or purchase them for gift giving, going for the bargain-priced candle is rarely the wise choice.
Here are 10 Tips for buying and using candles:
-Candles were originally made from tallow (animal fat) or beeswax before paraffin wax came into wide use because of its cheaper cost. Paraffin is sourced from heavy hydrocarbon crude oil http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/alternative-fuels/question105.htm. Paraffin can burn on its own, but like cooking or motor oil it needs to get very hot to combust. In doing so it releases hydrocarbons. The fumes emitted by paraffin wax candles scented with synthetic fragrances are similar to the chemicals released by automobile exhausts.
-According to the Environmental Protection Agency, along with University of Michigan and South Carolina State researchers, some paraffin candles have been found to release benzene and ketones, both known cancer-causing agents. At the very least, they can trigger allergic reactions and even asthma attacks in susceptible people.
-Avoid candles scented with “fragrances” or “secret ingredients.” For that matter avoid candles that don’t have ingredient labels. Burning petrochemical paraffin with synthetic fragrance oils, which alone can be irritating and even toxic, are doubly so when they’re burned. The chemicals they release are more likely to trigger breathing problems.
-Soy-based candles burn cleaner (although also some say faster) and more evenly than paraffin candles, and aren’t as combustible, and some say, as polluting. Only soy candle made from 100% soybean oil and scented with organic essentials oils instead of chemical fragrances (as many are) can be called an all-natural soy candle. Keep them in the fridge to prolong burning times. And try to let them burn at least four hours before you extinguish them, or they will burn faster next time.
-If you see black soot around a soy candle, it isn’t pure soy and likely contains some paraffin. Beware of soy candle that aren’t labeled 100% soy and made in the U.S. Also, keep your candle clean and trim it regularly. For instructions, go to: http://members.tripod.com/pine_point_candles/id8.html
-Burning beeswax candles is a good way to increase negative ions in your air space or environment. Known as nature’s air purifiers, negative ions help clean dust, mold, bacteria, viruses, and other pollutants from the air.
-Beeswax candles are virtually dripless and do not go rancid like soy can. They produce a glow that on par with what nature provides with moonlight. And they help support beekeepers, and we all know how much we need our pollinators, right?
-If you’re burning candles to scent a room, choose soy or beeswax candles. Unlike paraffin, they have a lower melting point than paraffin, so you’ll often see a larger amount of liquid wax pool around the candlewick. This pool is unique to natural waxes and one of the reasons that beeswax or soy candles scented with essential oils are more aromatic and are better at filling a room with scent. Choose candles scented with all-natural or organic essential oils for a cleaner safer scent.
-The trick is the wick. A good wick is made from waxed natural fiber like cotton or hemp, and only needs a tiny bit of wax to burn. Zinc wicks, unlike lead, are nontoxic, but they can produce more soot than cotton or hemp wicks. Buy American made candles to be sure you’re getting a lead-free wick. Federal laws stipulate that candles made and sold in the U.S. must be certified lead-free. If in doubt, check for lead by peeling back the wick. If you see any metal or wire in the wick, you might think twice before lighting it.
-Don’t burn any candle without good airflow in your home or office, especially in a small bedroom or bathroom. Crack a window or door if needed.
