| Problem
|
Possible
Causes
|
What
To Do |
| Candle is smoking |
High oil content, your
wick is too large, your candle may have air pockets |
Decrease your amount of
fragrance oil, try a smaller wick size, pour your candles at a hotter
temp |
| Candle is dripping
excessively
|
Wick is too small and
cannot absorb the amount of wax melted, therefore melted wax overflows;
Candle in draft and melted wax is “blown” over edge;
Wax is soft (or has a low
melting point) will melt too rapidly for the wick to absorb it and will
overflow
|
Enlarge
size of wick; Keep away
from drafts; Add stearic acid to wax
|
| Candle is splattering
|
Air in cavities left in
candle expands due to heat of flame.
It is causing the flame to burst forth bring bits of molten wax
with it.
|
Pierce all around the
wick. Fill cavity more than
once if necessary.
|
| Candle is burning
rapidly
|
Excess air in the fuel.
Candle is cooled too rapidly will cause the wick flame to burn
higher and faster.
|
Slow down cooling process;
use higher melting point wax; add stearic acid; pour more slowly
|
| Candle is not Throwing
enough scent
|
You have not used enough
fragrance, you have added too much vybar, you left your wax on your heat
source for too long allowing the fragrance to evaporate, you are using a
wax that is not porous enough
|
Use 1 oz. of fragrance per
lb. of wax, only add 1/2 tsp. of vybar per lb. of wax, pour your candles
right away after you add your fragrance, use a more porous wax |
| Fragrance oil is
settling to the bottom of the candle
|
You used too much
fragrance, you are using a wax that is not porous enough
|
Use 1oz. of fragrance per
lb. of wax, use a more porous wax.
|
| Second pour is not
blending well with your first pour
|
You have poured your
second pour too cool
|
Try to do your second pour
when your candle is still a little warm. Be careful though, if you
pour your second pour too soon, that re-pour will sink just like your
first pour did!
|
| Candle wax is not
burning evenly all of the way down
|
Your wax may be too hard
(too high of a melt point), your wick may be too small
|
You may want to use a
softer, lower melt point wax or try using a larger wick diameter.
Zinc core wicks tend to burn hotter...try these!
|
| Candle wick is drowning
out
|
Your wick size is probably
too small for your candle diameter
|
Try using a larger wick
size
|
| Candle will not come
out of your molds
|
You may have poured your
candles too hot, you may have poured your second pour over your fill
line, your wax is too soft
|
Try using a harder wax,
use mold release, pour your candles at a lower temp, do not pour above
the first pour line, try putting your candle in the refrigerator to help
it pop out. Freezer will make them crack!
|
| Candles getting jump
lines (visible lines on the outside of the candle or container candle)
|
Added too much stearic
acid, your container or mold was too cool when you poured your candle,
you poured at too cool of a temperature.
|
Try to warm your molds or
containers prior to pouring, pour at a hotter temperature, use less
additives
|
| Candles are getting
small air bubbles which lead to small holes
|
Got water in the wax when
you were pouring, on your second pour you poured above the first pour
fill line, your candles cooled too fast, you poured your candles at too
cool of temp
|
Make sure you never get
water into your wax when pouring! Water is wax's worst enemy!
Pour at a hotter temp, do not pour past the first pour fill line...air
will get trapped and will not release before the candle has already set
up. Make sure your molds and containers are warm and your working
environment is not too cool
|
| Candle bulges at sides
|
Usually when cardboard
carton is used as mold
|
Support sides of container
with stiff cardboard, masonite, or wood and attach with string (rubber
bands my buckle carton); scrape away excess and decorate/redip
|
| Cave-in on sides
|
Candle well was not
pierced early enough; cavity in center of candle caused walls to
contract inward
|
Poke a hole in the well
before wax begins to harden; use candle as base for thick types of
decorations
|
| Glass molds will not
break
|
Glass too thick; no mold
release used in mold; wax that is too soft tends to stick to the glass
|
Refrigerate candle for 8
hours and then immediately submerge it in boiling water, remove with
care immediately
|
| Wax chips at base
|
When candle is turned so
that well becomes base, the well may have been filled too high and is
not hot enough to adhere to the “old” wax on the surface; wax was
too hard; mold refrigerated too long results in thermal shock and
chipping
|
Don’t fill well to
overflowing; reduce amount of hardener used such as stearic acid; cut
down cooling time
|
| Candle surface soiled
|
Exposed to environment too
long; excessively handled
|
Rub candle with soft rag
saturated with cooking oil or baby oil; let stand about 15 minutes, then
gently buff; scrape candle with dull knife and then re-dip at 220 degrees
F.
|
| Fractures and cracks
|
Candle contact with cold
too soon or for too long caused thermal stresses
|
Even when rushed, reduce
amount of time candle spends in cold water, refrigerator, or freezer |
| Frost marks
|
Excessive adhesion to
sides of mold
|
Try using hotter wax (over
180 degrees F); try warming mold before casting
|
| Dull surface
|
Mold has dull surface; or
a wax carton coated with a low melting point wax was used |
Polish candle with a nylon
stocking; polish with cooking or baby oil; spray with p.v.a.; coat with
mod-podge; re-dip in wax at 220 degrees F
|
| Blisters and pimples
|
Storage in too warm a
place causes air in candle to expand and combine into bubbles
|
Store candles in cooler
location; scrape candle with dull knife and re-dip in wax at 220 degrees
F
|
| Spots under surface
|
Wax has been reheated too
often and has broken down
|
Use fresh wax; re-dip
candle at 220 degrees F or decorate to mask imperfections
|
| Pit marks
|
Filling mold too fast
causes turbulence that traps air bubbles along mold wall; dust in mold
|
Slow down filling; clean
mold before filling
|
| Soft white mottling
|
Too much oil on surface of
mold (can deliberately create this effect wit 3% mineral oil mixed into
molten wax); wax cools too slowly allowing large crystals to form near
walls of mold
|
Reduce amount of oil used
as mod release; speed up cooling of mold; cut down on the amount of
scent used
|
| Lines of tiny bubbles
ring the candle
|
Hot water bath too
turbulent; water for water bath added after candle was placed in mold
|
Slow down insertion and
withdrawal of candle from water bath; eliminate this technique and use
wax dipping method
|
roubleshooting candle problems can be frustrating, since what appears to be a simple problem may have many causes. The following list, while not all-inclusive, is being provided as a guide to assist candlemakers resolve their candle problems. No guarantees can be made from recommendations on this list, but it's a solid place to start troubleshooting. Good luck!
hen a
candle fragrance is used in gel candles, it should remain clear when added to your candle gel. If your gel is cloudy you may have added too much fragrance, or the fragrance may be too "polar." Always test for polarity (by doing such as the well-known "mineral oil polarity test" developed by Penreco) on any fragrance before using it in a gel candle. Non-polar fragrances usually do not discolor, whereas polar fragrances will most always discolor. The amount of fragrance you want to add to a gel should be no more than 5%, with ranges of 1-3% being the best. Ensure the flashpoint of your fragrance is always higher than 170 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are in doubt of the flashpoint, DO NOT use it in a gel candle -- the candle could become a serious fire hazard. Paraffin or soy candles do not carry this restriction.
any fragrances when added to a product base may induce color or discolor from scent and base interaction. Ultraviolet light accelerates discoloration. Sometimes
traces of metals in essential oils, such as iron in patchouli, will promote color. Packaging issues may give rise to internal reaction between the base and/or the fragrance.