Carl Adamson - Candleers

When you are making candles you know you have to put them away to cure them for a while before you can do anything with them. If you are busy candle making you need to make room in your work area as soon as you can. I took a close look at this problem, let's look at what I found. Do you cure candles with the lids on or off? You cure candles with the lids on. After pouring the candles let the wax cool so that it is solid, then put the lid on and the candle is ready to be stored for curing. It is important that you make sure the candle is completely cool and solidified before putting the lid on. If you are producing a lot of candles you do not really have an option other than to cure them with the lid on. At least I would not be able to do it, I have enough stuff in my way as it is when making candles. It is recommended to cure candles for between 3 and 14 days. If you let your candles sit around for 14 days that creates a scenario in which your candle scan collect dust, dirt, and grime. No one wants that. Candle Curing Basics Can your candles lose scent by leaving the lids off? The fragrance oil that gives your candle its scent can dissipate over time if your candle is uncovered, so yes, you can candle can lose scent if it doesn't have its lid on. The very outside edge of the surface wax will lose its fragrance when uncovered. When a candle is curing a few things are happening. Depending on the type of wax you are using, the wax continues to harden. Paraffin wax can be completely solid in a few hours. However, it can take soy wax days to fully harden. It is important to remember that the fragrance oil you use to add scent to your wax is still a separate substance from the wax, even after mixing them. This is why some candles that get too much fragrance oil sweat. As the wax cools it traps the fragrance oil inside the candle and disperses it throughout the wax. This is the process that is being referred to as "curing". So while you wait for the candle to cure you are essentially ensuring a better scent throw from the candle. Over time fragrance oil can also evaporate and dissipate from candles, the candles will essentially dry out on the surface. This is another reason why lids are beneficial to scented candles when curing. If you want to know more about the benefits of candles having lids you can check out my article titled Why Do Candles Have Lids. How To Cure Candles 1. Put the lids on the candles Put the lids on the candles once they have completely cooled and the wicks have been trimmed. 2. Box the candles up Once the lids are securely on the candle containers, place the containers in boxes to keep any light or sunlight off of them while they cure. 3. Place them in a cool place Place the candles in a cool place where they can complete the curing process. You do not want to let candles cure in your attic. If you are making coconut wax candles that have wax with a melting point near 100°F you do not want to leave it somewhere for two weeks that it is going to be at or near its melting point. 4. Wait Wait 3 days to 2 weeks for your candles to cure depending on the wax type. Benefits Of Candle Lids Retains Fragrance Oil If you can smell a candle then it is losing fragrance oil. Even when you can smell the cold throw, you can smell it because it is losing fragrance oil. Keeping the lid on your candles can help retain some of that fragrance oil. This will mean the candle keeps a strong cold throw until it is ready to be used by the customer. Keeps Wax Clean If you let the candles sit around for two weeks curing then it is possible they can collect dust or worse. That is not a good look for candles you could be giving to your friends, family or selling to customers. Protects Candle If you have dogs, cats, other pets or kids and you have dozens of candles sitting around somewhere a chance always exists that something could happen to them. Surface scratches in the wax, dirt, hair or worse can happen with pets and kids running around. Having lids on the candles protects them. Frequently Asked Questions When should you put the lid on a candle? Put the lid on the candle after the wax has completely cooled and the wick has been trimmed. If you put the lid on before the wax has completely cooled, it may move the wax and create jump lines on the side of the container or move the wick off of the center. Do you burn Yankee candles with the lid on? Use the topper or shade with your Yankee candle if you want the candle to burn properly. Using the topper will make sure you have a full wax melt pool from side to side across the surface of the candle. Conclusion In conclusion, I just want to again reaffirm that I believe all candles should have lids. They keep the dirt, dust, hair and bugs out of candles. In addition, they help them keep their fragrance longer. It is also important to cure your candles to give the wax time to bind the fragrance oil into the wax of the candle. This will ultimately give you the best scent throw possible, which is what we all want. You can also look at using candle lids as a way to protect your investment. A row of candles sitting around curing without their lids on is like an investment that can drop in value if something ends up damaging or contaminating the surfaces of those candles. Protect your investment.