Candle Making Troubleshooting Guide

• High oil content
• Wick is too large
• Candle may have air pockets
• Flame too high
• There is a draft

• Decrease the amount of fragrance oil
• Try a smaller wick size
• Pour candles at a hotter temperature and/or poke release holes and refill
• Keep wick trimmed to 1/4 inch
• Do not burn candles in a drafty area

(Note: Everyone’s scent palate smells differently!)

• There is not enough fragrance
• Too much vybar was added
• Low quality fragrance
• Burn pool size is wrong
• Your nose may not be able to smell certain fragrances
• You have been working with various fragrances and your nose has become immune to the environment
• Wax was left on the heat source too long allowing the fragrance to evaporate
• Scent not compatible with wax

• We recommend 1 1/2 oz fragrance oil per pound of wax (if more is needed, do not go over the maximum fragrance load the wax can hold)
• We recommend 1 tsp vybar per pound of wax
• Try a better quality, more concentrated fragrance oil
• Make sure you have a 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep (side to side) burn pool in about 4-5 hours (for optimal scent throw)
• Have multiple people test your candles in different environments
• Add fragrance oil last, just before pouring
• Only use scents that are made for use in candles

• Used too much fragrance
• Forgot to add additive to paraffin

  wax

• We recommend 1 1/2 oz fragrance oil per pound of wax (if problem recurs, use less than recommended)
• Add vybar to your wax to evenly disperse the fragrance oil

• Poured second poor too late
• Poured second poor too cool

• Try to do the second poor when candle is still a little warm and not fully hardened. (caution—if you pour the second poor too soon, that re-pour will sink just like your first pour)
• Increase temperature of second pour

• Wax is too hard (too high of a melt point)
• Wick is too small

• May want to use a wax with a lower melt point that is softer
• Try a larger wick size

• Wick is too small
• Wick is getting clogged
• Wick is not primed (waxed)
• Too much slack in wick (pillar)
• Lack of wick tab (container)

• Try a larger wick size
• Use less fragrance oil, essential oil, and/or dye; do not use dyes that contain pigments (use those for over-dipping only)
• Use waxed wicks OR soak raw wicking in melted wax before use
• Pull wick taut when wicking mold
• Use a wick tab to support the wick during the last hours of burning

• Mold is new or “unconditioned”
• Pouring temperature is too low
• Temperature is too high
• Mold is dented
• Candle not cool enough to take out of mold
• There is an air bubble trapped inside suctioning the candle to the mold
• The second pour was overfilled, seeped around your first pour, and expanded too far

• Clean the mold, re-melt the wax, and re-pour OR use mold release spray to condition the mold
• Increase the pouring temperature
• Keep candles 2”-3” apart when cooling and make sure candles cool from the bottom first, not the top (to do this cool candles on a wire rack)
• Re-melt the candle to get the wax out, un-dent the mold, and re-pour OR purchase a new mold
• Wait longer until the candle has fully cooled and hardened
• Work the mold by massaging it in order to release the trapped air
• Re-melt the wax and re-pour being careful not to go above the original pour level

• Added too much palm stearic acid
• Container or mold was too cool when the candle was poured
• Pouring temperature is too low

• We recommend 1 Tbsp. palm stearic acid per pound of wax (is problem recurs, use less than recommended)
• Pre-heat your container or mold prior to pouring
• Increase the pouring temperature

• Wax was poured into mold/container too fast causing air bubbles
• Dust particles were inside mold/container at time of pouring
• Water got in the wax at time of pouring
• Candle cooled too fast
• Pouring temperature is too low or high
• Used dirty wax

• Pour the candle at a slow and steady rate and after candle is poured tap on sides of mold/container to release air
• Make sure the mold/container is clean before you use it
• Pre-heat your mold/container prior to pouring
• Make sure that water (from a double boiler or elsewhere) never gets into your wax
• Keep candles 2”-3” apart when cooling and make sure candles cool from the bottom first, not the top (to do this cool candles on a wire rack)
• Decrease or increase the pouring temperature accordingly
• Always keep your melting pots and wax clean—pour dirty wax through cheesecloth to filter

• Room temperature is too cold
• Candle cooled too fast or too slow
• Mold/container was too cold
• Pouring temperature is too high or too low
• Fragrance does not work well with the wax you are using
• Candle was forced from mold before being ready

• Increase room temperature
• Keep candles 2”-3” apart when cooling and make sure candles cool at a steady rate from the bottom first, not the top (to do this cool candles on a wire rack)
• Pre-heat mold/container prior to pouring
• Decrease or increase the pouring temperature accordingly
• Change fragrances or use a different wax with that fragrance
• Wait longer until the candle has fully cooled

• Candle cooled too fast
• Candle was put in the freezer or fridge
• The well in a paraffin candle was refilled after the wax in the mold had cooled too much/completely hardened
• Pillar candle with a wick too small

• Keep candles 2”-3” apart when cooling and make sure candles cool from the bottom first, not the top (to do this cool candles on a wire rack)
• Putting candles in the freezer or fridge can cause them to become brittle and crack
• Try to do the second poor when candle is still a little warm
• Thick walls tend to crack, try a larger wick size

• Too much additive was added
• Too many different additives were used
• Storage area too cold

• Decrease the amount of additive used
• Do not use as many additives
• Increase room temperature (we recommend 44-70°F)

• Candle cooled too fast
• Room temperature is too cold
• Container was dirty at time of pouring
• Container was too cold

• Keep candles 2”-3” apart when cooling and make sure candles cool from the bottom first, not the top (to do this cool candles on a wire rack)
• Increase room temperature
• Make sure container is clean before you use it
• Pre-heat container prior to pouring

• Wick is too small
• Candle was burnt for short periods of time
• Wax is too hard/has too high of a melt point for the wick
• Too much or the wrong type of additives were used

• Try a larger wick size
• Burn the candle for at least 1 hour per inch in diameter to ensure an equal burn
• Try a softer wax with a lower melt point
• Use the least amount of additives needed for the desired effect

• Fragrance and/or dye is collecting in the wick and interfering with combustion
• The wick naturally mushrooms
• Too rich of a wax formula
• Wick is too small

• Try different fragrance/dye combinations
• Zinc cored wicks and others naturally have this effect, try a different type of wick to get rid of mushrooming
• Try a harder wax
• Try a larger wick size

• Wick is too large

• Try a smaller wick size

Candle has a sink hole by the wick

(Note: It is normal if a small 1/4 inch “crack” appears by the wick when the candle is completely cooled)

• Candle cooled too fast
• The wax naturally shrinks while cooling

• Keep candles 2”-3” apart when cooling and make sure candles cool from the bottom first, not the top (to do this cool candles on a wire rack)
• Pre-heat mold/container prior to pouring AND/OR while candle is cooling poke holes around wick and refill (may need to do more than two pours)

• Too much oil in wax
• Room temperature is too hot
• Additives were not used

• We recommend 1 ½ oz fragrance oil per pound of wax (if problem recurs, use less than recommended)
• Decrease room temperature AND/OR take candle out of direct sunlight
• Use proper additives for the wax you are using and the desired effect

• Mold/container was too cold
• Candle cooled too fast
• Candles were too close together
• Candle was taken out from under the box before it was ready

• You must pre-heat mold/container prior to pouring
• Uou must place a box over the candle to retain the heat and allow the palm wax to cool slowly
• Keep candles 2”-3” apart when cooling
• Wait longer until the candle has fully cooled

• Wick size is wrong

• Soy waxes require larger wick sizes than paraffin, try a different size wick

• Too much oil in wax
• Candle cooled too fast
• Used too much mold release
• Lack of additives

• Use an additive to fully disperse oil throughout the wax
• Keep candles 2”-3” apart when cooling and make sure candles cool from the bottom first, not the top (to do this cool candles on a wire rack)
• Wipe out extra mold release and remember to use less next time
• Use proper additives for the wax you are using and the desired effect

• Water got in the wax at time of pouring
• Water trapped in wick from water bath
• Wick is not primed (waxed)

• Make sure that water (from a double boiler or elsewhere) never gets into your wax—if it does, pour off melted wax and relight candle (if that doesn’t help re-melt and start over)
• Make sure wick hole is securely sealed on the mold
• Use waxed wicks OR soak raw wicking in melted wax before use

• There is a draft
• Wick is off center
• Wax is too soft/melt point is too low

• Do not burn candles in a drafty area
• Carefully move the wick into the center with a non-flammable object
• Try a harder wax with a higher melt point

• Dye did not thoroughly mix in
• Used dirty wax
• Pigment used instead of dye

• Thoroughly stir dye into the melted wax before pouring
• Always keep your melting pots and wax clean—pour dirty wax through cheesecloth to filter
• Do not use pigments for solid coloring (use for over-dipping only)

• Wick hole is not properly sealed

• Use mold sealer generously and pull wick taut

• Re-poured too soon
• Re-poured too hot

• Wait until a rubbery surface has formed on the previous layer
• Reduce the pouring temperature of the layers

• UV rays from sunlight and artificial light

• Add UV Inhibitor to reduce fading AND/OR store candles in a dark place