How to Make a Candle Last Longer

The first burn decides everything. A few small habits can add hours of quiet to every jar you light.

A candle remembers its first burn. When you light a new jar, let the wax melt all the way to the edges before you put it out. It usually takes two to three hours, and it stops the candle from tunnelling down the middle for the rest of its life.

Trim the wick to about five millimetres before every burn. A long wick makes a tall, restless flame that eats through wax and leaves soot on the glass. A short wick burns slow and even.

Keep the burn under four hours at a stretch. After that the wax overheats, the scent turns flat, and the jar gets hotter than it should. Put it out, let it rest, light it again later.

Snuff the flame instead of blowing it out. Less smoke, less scent lost to the room, and the wick stays centred for next time.