Safety and Candles

Candles are one of life's pleasures. For many generations, they have been used to solemnize celebrations and to light up the special and everyday moments of our lives. While candles can do everything from set a mood to beautify a room, though, they do have their dangers. All candles involve an open flame, and mishandled, that can be trouble. Always use your candles safely so that you can enjoy them healthfully. When used correctly, candles can be a very safe indulgence.

Make sure that you buy high quality candles only. Well-made candles are always safer. They are more predictable and tend to have better safety records. For example, high quality candles encased in glass jars tend to have thicker glass than their more inexpensive counterparts. This can help ensure that the glass does not shatter or crack as it is heated by the flame. Some inexpensive, foreign-made candles have been found to have lead wicks and other toxic substances. Always keep in mind where your candles are made and look for guarantees of high quality. Better made candles are often made with higher-grade wax that contains fewer impurities, so buy the best you can.

Of course, you probably already know that you should never leave a candle unattended. This is especially true if you have pets or children who may be attracted by the bright flame. A few seconds are all it takes for a child or pet to knock over a candle and start a fire. Keep an eye out as well for any nearby objects that can come into contact with a candle. If you have a candle lit on your window, for example, make sure that the curtains blowing in the breeze do not come too near the candle, where they can ignite. If you have placed your candle on a shelf, make sure that the candle is far from books, papers, and other flammables. A good litmus test is to touch objects near a candle. If they are warm, they are too close to the flame. Also, allow plenty of clearance in case an object falls over on top of a candle or pushes the candle off a ledge. Ideally, only light candles when you will be in the room a while and place candles far from any other objects. Keep a fire extinguisher in your home handy in case an emergency does occur.

To use your candles safely, make sure that you exercise care when extinguishing and lighting them. Never place your face close to the candle when extinguishing and lighting it and be aware of loose strands of hair and loose clothing that may come into contact with a flame. Always shield the flame with your hand to protect your eyes from suddenly flying bits of soot and wick. When lighting a candle, make sure that any matches you use are properly extinguished and disposed of and put away any lighters you used to light candles.

Be aware of the accessories you buy for your candles. Use the same caution when buying candle shades, candle holders and candle charms as you would use when buying candles. Make sure that your accessories are not a fire hazard and are not made of toxic materials that can be poisonous to your air when heated. If you have doubts, ask. Retailers should be able to provide full information about the products they sell.

Article source: http://my-candles.blogspot.com/2007/08/safety-and-candles.html