What is Tunneling?
Few things ruin the experience of a beautiful candle faster than tunneling. This happens when the melt pool of wax doesn’t reach the edges of the container during consecutive burns, leaving a ring of hard wax along the sides. Not only is this wasteful, but it also weakens the candle’s scent throw and you get less fragrance from every burn.
While some tunneling is caused by incorrect wicking during production, there are still a few simple steps you can take to prevent it and make the most of your candles.
1. Keep Your Wick Trimmed (But Not Too Short!)
Wick trimming is one of the most important parts of candle care. Keeping your wick at about ¼ inch helps maintain an even, controlled flame.
However, trimming the wick too short can make the flame too weak to fully melt the wax, which can lead to tunneling. Before each burn, check that your wick is the right length for a clean, even melt pool.
2. Give Your Candle Enough Burn Time
One of the most common causes of tunneling is blowing out your candle too soon. Candles are designed to take time to create a full melt pool across the top. As a rule of thumb, allow your candle to burn for about 1 hour per inch of diameter (so a 3-inch candle should burn for roughly 3 hours).
Be patient and let the wax melt all the way to the edges before extinguishing your flame. This helps your candle burn evenly and last longer.
3. Removing Excess Wax
If you find the problem not yet fixed and still want to try and save the candle another step you can take is removing wax. If you remove to excess wax from the edges and allow for more of the wick to show this can give your flame more breathing room, bringing your candle back to life.
In Summary
Tunneling can happen to any candle, but with a little care and attention, it’s easy to prevent. Trim your wick to the right length, give your candle enough time to burn, and enjoy every bit of fragrance your candle has to offer.
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