Candle Care

What’s the best way to care for my candle?
We strongly recommend burning your Portlandia candle for three hours on the first burn, or approximately one hour for each inch of diameter. Ideally, you want the melt pool to reach the edges of the glass to prevent tunneling, which is where the candle burns down the center like water going down the drain. Tunneling is usually caused by burn times that are too short in duration. Luckily, soy wax has a good sense of “memory,” so your candle will have more usage flexibility after the first long burn. When extinguishing the flame, simply blow it out with a little puff of breath. Try not to splatter the hot wax, and please do not use your fingers. Sometimes, candle wicks need to be trimmed to maintain the quarter-inch burn height.

How long do Portlandia 10 ounce candles burn?
Our candles have a burn time of approximately 60 hours. You will enjoy a better burning experience if you always allow time for a full pool of wax to form at the top each time you light your candle. This allows for the wax to fully melt and then fully set up again as it cools. If you light the candle, then extinguish it before the top layer has fully melted, your candle might start tunneling down (not burning to the edges) and you will lose overall burn time.

How do I clean and reuse my candle jar?

  • Once your candle has burned down almost to the very bottom, blow out your candle and allow it to cool for a few minutes. The glass will be VERY hot so please do not touch it immediately. Also, never allow a candle to burn all the way to the bottom, as the glass can overheat and shatter.

  • Once the glass has cooled to the touch, place a paper towel on your counter and turn the candle glass over so it is upside down on the paper towel. This will allow the wax to drain out onto the paper towel and make cleaning easier. Our coconut and soy wax blend is all natural and most definitely can be composted.

  • Once the glass is fully cooled, loosen and remove the wick tab.

  • Use warm, soapy water to wash away any remaining wax.

  • Use the recycled glass jar for any normal purpose. Our containers are made of 100% recycled glass, so repurposing it again as a mug, or a planter, or an organizer, is simply good ethics. Thank you!