Scented candles are great for your home if you want a relaxing and fragrant aroma inside. With so many different aromas to choose from, they can help you to relax and unwind in the comfort of your own home. They also come in a wide variety of designs and colors, allowing you to enhance the ambiance inside. No matter how good they make you feel, it is important to note that they do pose a fire risk too.
Ever wondered to yourself, “Is it safe to put out a candle with the lid?” If so, then the answer is yes, you can but only if it is non-flammable. If it is resistant to fire, then using the lid is one of the best ways to put out the fire as it creates less smoke than if you were to blow out the candle.
Here, we will take a look at what to do and what not to do when it comes to taking care of candles. It is very important to know how to properly take care of them to minimize risks and to ensure you get the most value out of them.
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Is It Safe to Put Out a Candle with the Lid?
It is safe to put out a candle with the lid and is sometimes recommended. It’s a quick way to put out the flame without filling the room with smoke. Just make sure the lid is non-flammable and doesn’t have any rubber molding.
A lot of candles sold in stores and online today come with lids for preserving their fragrance and lifespan. The lid also protects the candle from dust and other pollutants, which ensures a clean burn and no toxic fumes.
You can remove the lid and see how efficiently it preserves its fragrance. The aroma will quickly fill the entire room within minutes. This is called the cold throw of the candle whereas the fragrance emanating from a lit candle is known as the hot throw.
Apart from preserving the fragrance, there are other uses to a lid as well. It also allows you to extinguish the candle flame without producing too much smoke. You don’t even have to secure the lid back to put out the flame. All you need to do is place it on top of the flame until the oxygen is cut off.
If you blow at the flame instead, it will generate more smoke. The smoke will then disperse through your room and override the aroma. There are two things you need to make sure of before using the lid to put out the flame. It should be non-flammable and it shouldn’t have any rubber molding.
Do keep in mind that extinguishing the flame by using a lid may generate soot. So, if you have any house plants, make sure that the candle is far away from them and the room is properly ventilated. Soot is very harmful to plants. To minimize the amount of soot generated by the candle, always trim the wick if it ever gets to more than 10mm long.
Other Safe Ways to Put Out a Candle
Apart from using the lid, there are many other ways you can safely put out the flame. Some manufacturers sell candle kits that come with snuffers. A snuffer is a tool that comes in the shape of a bell which you can use to cover and extinguish the flame.
This works very similar to how using the lid works as the flame will automatically die once the oxygen is cut OFF. The only difference is that you need to leave the snuffer on for 15 minutes. Since it covers the wick, you don’t have to worry about smoke dispersing all over the room.
Another tool you can buy is the wick dipper, which is a long metal stick with a curved design at the top. To extinguish the flame, you need to push the wick using the curved top into the melted wax. By doing so, the flame will get extinguished instantly.
So, if you want to put out the flame without any smoke or odor, this is the best tool to use. Do remember to use the same curved tip and bring up the wick to its normal position. You may have to trim the wick from time to time though. So, do keep that in mind.
What Method Should You Avoid When Putting Out the Candle?
One of the worst things you can do when putting out a candle is to blow on the flame. This creates a good amount of smoke, which will not only contaminate the candle but is also bad for your health.
Another method you should avoid is cutting the wick by using scissors as it is not only dangerous but will also create smoke and change the fragrance in the room. When you cut the wick, you might either cut it too short or too long too, which will affect how the candle will burn later on.
Some people also use their fingers to put out the flame. While it is safe if you do it properly, you may burn your fingers if you aren’t careful. To do it properly, you need to dip your index finger and thumb in a glass of water to ensure there is enough moisture on them. You can use running water from a sink as well. Then you need to put out the flame by pinching the wick. This method, however, is not recommended as there are more efficient and safer ways to extinguish a candle flame.
Conclusion
There are many different ways that are not only efficient but very safe too to put out a candle flame. Each method has a few advantages and disadvantages. The snuffer, for instance, prevents any smoke from dispersing but takes up to 15 minutes to put out the flame.
The wick dipper, on the other hand, does an excellent job but by pushing the wick into the melted wax, it might leave a burnt residue. So ultimately, the best way to put out the candle will depend on your personal preferences.
No matter which method you choose, always take the necessary safety precautions and make sure you always put out the candle after its use.
