What is the most important thing to know about candles, other than risk of fire?

Older scented candles had wicks with lead in them and could cause lead poisoning by inhaling the smoke and fumes.

They are great at seances and during power outages. You can make a 100 hour candle by sticking a wick in a can of Crisco. You can light many cigarettes off a single candle.

@seawulf575 Something about safety.

That does narrow it down. Hmmmm….keeping the wicks trimmed will minimize the candle smoking.
I did find this article about a wickless candle accident. The gel fluid sparked and flicked a bit of burning material onto a woman and before she could flick it off, she was in flames. I think the safety tip is that gel candles or wickless candles can cause fires.
Another article showed that Gwenyth Paltrow’s vagina candles can be dangerous.

@seawulf575 Would you pleae remove the last sentence?

Candles do not taste good.

@flo if I can figure out how to edit it, sure. Though it is a valid safety issue that seemed specific to that brand.

I just asked a question re. how to edit an answer.

@seawulf575 I’ve read about Paltrow’s vagina smelling candles but I never knew they were dangerous! That’s quite a story.

It can be wick-ed hard to get spilled melted wax out of textiles such as carpets or table cloths.

The most important thing besides risk of fire? If you stick a finger (or another part of your body) into the flame, it will burn you because it’s very hot.

When you burn a candle and the wax disappears, it actually has just moved…..onto your ceiling and walls. Beeswax candles are not so bad.

You can learn all about candles at Wick-a-pedia.

Dangerous option: use as heating , using pottery as heating centre. You can trap the vapour of candles , turning into a concentration of very flammable and explosive gas. This construction is very popular, but stupid. Dont try this at home or worse: IN home!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzKbFzUEWkA

If put in an unsafe container, e.g. a drinking glass, they can burn down and crack the glass.

Cheap candles can put out soot if the wick isn’t trimmed.

I have large candles stored in the basement in the unlikely even of a power failure. they have been there for 30+ years and I have never had to use them. Maybe it is time to light a few.

Petroleum-based candles are harmful for parrots.
Beeswax is safe for them.

That Soy wax candles is probably the most best moderate solution..
theyre green, dont wear out quickly, cost efficient, no harmful effects..
But you should also consider tallow, it might be a better option depending on your country and location..

On wide candles, the wax pool gets wider and wider during the first burn. On subsequent burns, it gets deeper and deeper. So if you want to maximize the wax pool diameter, your first burn has to be a long time. Then the candle will be able to use the most of its wax for subsequent burning. A narrow pool leaves a lot of wax unburnable.

Thanks all.
How about while there is a fire caused by the candles?

@SnipSnip ”... it actually has just moved…..onto your ceiling and walls.”. And so what does that mean to remeber to do or not do, if anything?

Get everyone out of the house, call the fire department.

@kritiper remember this is in General.

@all,
“While there’s a a fire caused by a lit candle, .....”, what goes in the blank?

What about the statement: ”Never use water to extinguish a candle. Water can cause the hot wax to splatter and might break a glass container.”? I don’t know the site? Is that the best source? https://candles.org/fire-safety-candles/

If you are also following the other questions of mine re. candles they are in editing (I think).