Candle Making Tips- Safety First
Written by WalterBallenberger on May 12, 2008 – 9:14 am -Candle making can be a pleasurable or even profitable hobby, but one must be always cognizant of the fact that hot melted wax can cause many serious problems if proper precautions are not taken. Candle making safety tips include having a fire extinguisher and a box of baking soda on hand whenever you are melting wax. Use these to put out any wax fires that might start. First try to smother the fire with the baking soda. You can also use the top of your double boiler to smother a wax fire. You’ll need to have a double boiler for melting the wax, so it will be available. Don’t ever try to put out a wax fire with water, as the wax can burst and explode and burn the skin. Also don’t ever let your wax temperature exceed 280 degrees F (138 degrees C).
Other Candle Making Tips- Keep Kids and Pets Away
With the possibility looming of a wax fire as described above, it should be obvious that children and pets should be kept away from any hot wax. Even when the wax has been poured into a mold caution should be exercised. If the mold happens to be aluminum it can get very hot and burn the skin. Don’t ever heat wax or start to heat wax by putting it in a microwave oven. Heat can quickly build up inside the wax and cause it to explode. In any case melting wax should never be left unattended and you will need to have a wax thermometer to monitor the temperature of your wax at all times. Be careful not to let your wax get onto your heating element as it could very possibly ignite and cause a fire.
Other Precautions
You will need to have a good metal pouring pot to pour your wax into molds. Be sure to use one that can withstand high temperatures and has a handle and spout. Be sure to store your wax away from heat in a cool and dry place. If somehow melted wax does come in contact with the skin, run cold water over the area. This will cool the wax and make it solidify such that it can be pulled off the skin. You will most likely need to treat the affected skin area as you would treat a burn. Don’t allow water to drip into hot wax as it can explode and fly onto your skin and cause burns. If the exploding hot wax were to get into your eyes, it is obvious that very serious problems could result, so this tip is extremely important. Also, be sure to use only dyes and fragrances that have been designed specifically for candle making. Lastly, don’t ever pour melted wax down a drain.
Although candle making has its dangers due to the need to handle hot melted wax, most of the problems mentioned above can be easily avoided if you are aware of the dangers of hot wax and use common sense when making candles. If you have the right equipment and are prepared and consider the above candle making tips, your projects will be executed smoothly and serious problems will be avoided.
Walt Ballenberger is founder of Highly Scented Candles. For hand-crafted scented candles that are clean and long burning visit Highly Scented Candles