It just takes the light of the wick on your favorite candle to transport you to a relaxing oasis, but the quickest way to lose that feeling of zen is when you notice your candle's wick is damaged or broken. Whether it's severely frayed or was cut too short, the question remains the same: Can you save your candle at this point to continue using it? According to our experts, the answer is yes.
Nia Jones, the co-founder of BROWN GIRL Jane, says that the first step to saving your candle is seeing if the wick is actually just buried under wax rather than broken altogether. "If it is hidden under wax and not broken, then light the candle wax using a heating gun, or a lighter if that is more accessible, to melt the candle wax at the top of your candle," she explains. "Immediately pour out the hot liquid and then light your wick as normal." Here, we share more expert insight on how to salvage the wick and keep it working at its best for long-term use.
Replace the wick.
In the event that the wick is actually broken and impossible to use again, consider some DIY options so that you can continue using your candle as normal. Jones recommends using twine or even tightly rolled-up newspaper in place of the wick as makeshift alternatives. "Using an apple corer device, first twist the old wick using the apple corer by pushing the corer to the bottom of the candle, and [then] wiggle it around to loosen the wick," she shares. "Push the corer all the way up and remove it from the candle—it should have the wax plug." Simply put the new wick through the hole in the wax plug as the final step.
As for another option? David Bronkie, the co-founder of Siblings, says you can also thread a new store-bought wick in the hole where the wick broke off deep into the candle. "The new wick should allow you to burn your candle to the point of the old wick, at which point you may need to scrape away wax to light the old wick," he adds.
Keep it at the right length.
Once you get a new wick in place, make sure it is at the correct length. "Cutting the wick too short can lead to premature performance problems, like a weak flame, the inability to create or maintain a wax pool, a flooded or drowned wick, and poor fragrance performance," says Wendy Marcus, the senior manager of research and development for Yankee Candle. Particularly, when it comes to avoiding a pool of melted wax that ends up building excess wax on the side of the jar and inevitably causing a short wick to get buried, Jones recommends lighting the candle for at least 30 minutes. "If everything is burning evenly, let the candle burn all the way to the edges before blowing out," she explains.
Bronkie notes that the wick should be one-fourth inches in length before each burn, so the burn time is longer and the scent is stronger. He also notes that "too long of a wick and there will be excess soot, smoke, and the potential for poor scent throw."
Maintain wick health.
"To keep the candle at its best, burn [it] for two hours, allowing the wax to melt and reach the edges of the glass on your first use," explains Jones. After letting your candle cool to room temperature, Marcus says to use a wick trimmer (this will ensure the ends won't fray). After cutting wicks to the right length, she says to remove any trimmings from the surface.
FAQs
Replace the wick.
What to do if your candle wick breaks? ›
Sometimes a wick has been broken beyond repair, but that doesn't mean the candle is no longer usable. You can fashion a new wick using common household items like twine or even a strip of tightly rolled newspaper. One trick is to use an apple corer to carefully remove the old wick.
How to save a candle with no wick? ›
Make a small hole at the center of the wax using a toothpick or chopstick, and insert the heat source into the hole. If you use a tealight, remove it from its aluminum casing and place it directly into the hole. If you use a battery-powered LED, ensure it is switched on before inserting it into the wax.
How to save a candle with a buried wick? ›
If the wax is still liquid, then grab your tweezers and gently straighten the wick, holding it for 30 seconds or so. Allow the wax to harden as usual, and that's it! Often, we don't notice that the wick is buried until long after the wax has hardened.
How to light a candle if the wick is gone? ›
"If it is hidden under wax and not broken, then light the candle wax using a heating gun, or a lighter if that is more accessible, to melt the candle wax at the top of your candle," she explains.
Is it OK to light a broken candle? ›
Never light a candle if the glass ware is cracked or damaged in any other way. Also refrain from engraving or cutting the glass ware because it weakens the glass and it might split when heated. Lighting a candle in these conditions can result in injury, burns and damage of material possessions. 2.
What is a substitute for a candle wick? ›
For homemade wicks, you can use tightly rolled-up newspapers, twisted toilet paper or paper towels, cardboard, twine, 100% cotton string or embroidery floss, cotton balls, toothpicks, popsicle sticks, or any cotton fabric like strips from an old t-shirt or strings from an old cotton mop.
Can I use a toothpick as a wick? ›
Yes, you can use a toothpick as a wick; however, before doing so, you must dip it in melted wax to ensure it has a coating that will facilitate continuous burning.
What does a candle with no wick mean? ›
Candle and its body language
Wick: A candle with a long body and a short or no wick indicates strong price action. A long green candle devoid of a wick or with a short wick indicates bullish price action. A long red candle with a small wick or devoid of it indicates bearish price action for the period of the candle.
How to fix a broken candle? ›
Use a long wand candle lighter or an extra long match and hold the flame directly on top of the wick for up to 30 seconds to melt some of the surrounding wax. Try holding the candle upside down as you light it. But don't do this for more than 10-15 seconds because you don't want to have wax dripping on your hand.
Wax Melts and Tarts
- Melt the candle wax and add fragrance or essential oils.
- Pour the scented wax into wax melt molds or any suitable container.
- Allow it to cool and harden.
- Pop out the wax melts and place them in a wax warmer.
Opt for a wooden wick if the old wick is very short.
Use a toothpick, matchstick, wooden skewer—whatever thin piece of wood you have on hand. You can also cut a popsicle stick lengthwise into halves or thirds to use as a wick, if you'd like.
How do you revive a tunneled candle? ›
Trim the wick and remove any debris inside the tunnel. Cover the top of the candle with aluminum foil. Cut or fold a small opening (around 1-inch) in the center of the aluminum foil. Remove the aluminum foil, light the wick, then place the foil cover back on.
What can I use instead of a candle wick? ›
For homemade wicks, you can use tightly rolled-up newspapers, twisted toilet paper or paper towels, cardboard, twine, 100% cotton string or embroidery floss, cotton balls, toothpicks, popsicle sticks, or any cotton fabric like strips from an old t-shirt or strings from an old cotton mop.
Can I use a toothpick as a candle wick? ›
Yes, you can use a toothpick as a wick; however, before doing so, you must dip it in melted wax to ensure it has a coating that will facilitate continuous burning.
