Why is My Candle Wick Drowning?

A drowning candle wick refers to a situation where the wick of a candle is submerged in melted wax, making it difficult or impossible for the wick to stay lit.

A drowned wick can make it difficult to light the candle and can also result in the candle not burning evenly or producing soot.

What is causing my candle wick to become submerged in the wax?

A few different factors can cause a candle wick that is drowning:

• The candle wax is too hot: When it gets too hot, it can melt down and engulf the wick, causing it to drown. To prevent this, make sure to let the candle burn for no longer than 4 hours at a time.
• The candle wax is too thick: If the wax is too thick, it can prevent the wick from drawing enough wax up to sustain the flame. To remedy this, you can try trimming the wick before lighting it next time.
• A wick that is too long can cause the flame to burn too hot, which can then cause the wax to melt down and drown the wick. To prevent this, make sure to trim the wick to about 1/4 inch before lighting the candle.
• Some candle waxes work better with certain types of wicks. If you’re using the wrong type of wick for your candle, it may not be able to draw up enough wax to sustain the flame, causing the wick to drown.

If you continue to have issues with your candle wick drowning, you may want to consider using a different type of candle or wick.

How To Save a Drowning Wick (5 Ways)

To save a drowning candle wick, you can try the following steps:

1. Extinguish the flame: Blow out the candle and allow it to cool completely.
2. Remove the melted wax: Using a spoon or a similar tool, scoop out the melted wax around the wick until the wick is exposed.
3. Trim: Cut the wick down to about 1/4 inch.
4. Re-light the candle: Once the wax has hardened, light the candle and make sure the flame is stable.
5. Monitor the flame: Keep an eye on it and ensure it does not become too large, which can cause the wick to drown again.

If you continue to have issues with a drowning wick, you may want to try using a different type of candle or wick. You can also try rotating the candle when you use it to ensure that the entire wax surface is used and melted evenly.

Using Q-tips

Saving a drowning candle wick can sometimes feel like an impossible task. But with some patience and the right supplies, it’s not as difficult as you might think. All you need is a Q-tip.

To start, take the Q-tip and relight the troubled wick. If you have more than one wick, work on them one at a time to ensure none go unnoticed or unlit. As soon as your wick has caught fire, carefully dip one end of the Q-tip into the newly forming wax pool.

Here, you want to soak up just enough of the melted wax so that your wick has some breathing room – if you soak up too much, it’ll be difficult for it to ever recover.

Once you’ve soaked up enough of the melted wax, your wicks should be safe and ready to burn again without fear of drowning in their own wax. This takes a bit of patience but is worth it when trying to save a beloved candle that’s being consumed by its own flame.

Regardless of which method you choose to use, remember that saving drowning candle wicks requires patience and care – but if done correctly and safely, it can keep your candles burning bright for many nights ahead!

What to do if the wick is wooden?

When trying to save a drowning wick that is made of wood, the steps are comparable to those for a cotton wick. However, it is important to exercise caution when handling wooden wicks as they are often more delicate and susceptible to drowning compared to cotton wicks.

This means that during the trimming and relighting process, special attention should be paid to ensure that the wick is not damaged.

What to do if candle wick is bending?

If the wick of your candle is bending or “mushrooming,” it may be due to a build-up of carbon on the wick. It is important to regularly trim the wick of your candle to prevent carbon build-up and maintain a stable flame.