According to the National Candle Association (NCA), accidental candle fires account for approximately four percent of all U.S. residential fires (more than 15,000 candle fires are reported annually). According to fire experts, the bulk of candle-fire incidents are due to consumer inattention to basic fire safety or to the misuse of candles.

Furthermore, a study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission indicates that 85 percent of candle fires could be avoided if consumers followed three basic safety rules:

1. Never leave a burning candle unattended.
2. Never burn a candle on or near anything that might catch fire.
3. Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.

The NCA offers the following tips regarding how to burn a candle safely:

• Before lighting, trim the wick to ¼ inch each time before burning.
• Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use (heat resistant, sturdy, and large enough to hold drips or melted wax).
• Burn candles in a well-ventilated room.
• Place the candleholder on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
• Keep the wax pool clear of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.
• Avoid placing candles in drafts, vents or air currents.
• Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on burn time and proper use.

During burning:

• Never touch or move the candle, and never move a votive or container candle when the wax is liquefied.
• Never burn a candle all the way down. Instead, put the candle out when 2 inches of wax remains (1/2 inch if in a container).
• Extinguish a candle if the flame becomes too high or flickers repeatedly. Let the candle cool, trim the wick, and check for unwanted drafts before re-lighting.
• Always keep a burning candle within your sight.

When extinguishing:

• Use a candle snuffer to extinguish a candle.
• Never use water to extinguish a candle.
• Make sure the candle is completely out and the wick ember is no longer glowing before leaving the room.
• Don’t touch or move the candle until it has completely cooled.

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Like a lot of things in life, candle scent preference is pretty subjective. Some may enjoy spicy scents, while others prefer florals, and still others might like candles with no scents at all.

Tip: Use unscented candles in the dining room, so there are no scents to conflict with the aroma and enjoyment of your food.
 
According to the National Candle Association, scented candles are the number one choice of U.S. consumers for home fragrancing. In additions, almost 75 percent of all candles sold in the U.S. are scented.

Popular Candle Scents
Spices: Vanilla and vanilla-based aromas have been the most popular candle scent for almost a decade. Other favorites in this category include cinnamon, coffee, mocha, gingerbread, pumpkin, apple pie, brown sugar and hazelnut.

Fruits: Fruity fragrances generally form the second most popular scent for candles, and include citrus and apple scents, as well as peach, black cherry and wild berries.

Florals: Soft and light floral scents continue to be popular, with special emphasis on lavender, lilac, rose, peony, jasmine and gardenia.

Spa/Zen: This category features scents associated with relaxation and mood enhancement, including ginger, mint, eucalyptus, sandalwood, green tea and ylang ylang.

Fantasy: This relatively new category includes fragrances such as ocean breeze, rain, fresh laundry, etc.

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According to the National Candle Association (NCA), the major trade association representing U.S. candle manufacturers and their suppliers, the addition of fragrance to candles is common in the U.S., and an estimated 75 to 80 percent of candles sold in the U.S. are scented.

Making Scents
The NCA says that candle manufacturers work closely with fragrance companies to “develop scented formulations that are not only pleasing, but will burn safely and properly.” Properly-formulated scented candles produce water vapor and carbon dioxide when burned, as well as release whatever fragrance has been added, typically a combination of natural and synthetic fragrances that may be derived from essential oils or from synthetic aroma chemicals.

According to the NCA, candle manufacturers have more than 2,000 aroma chemicals and essential oils at their disposal to use to develop scents that are both pleasing to consumers and compatible with candle use (various health and safety tests are also conducted on the raw fragrance materials that are used in candles to ensure their safety).

Well-formulated scented candles burn cleanly and do not produce a significant amount of soot.

Scent Safety
It’s important to remember to burn all candles, scented or otherwise, in well-ventilated areas. In addition, the NCA says every candle formulation has a maximum amount of fragrance that can be added before the candle will no longer burn properly. They also cite reports of homemade and craft-fair candles containing too much fragrance, or fragrances not approved for candle use, which can lead to improper burn performance or excess sooting.

Founded in 1974, NCA acts as the collective voice for the candle industry in promoting the safe use and enjoyment of candles; pursuing product excellence through quality formulation; monitoring and responding to issues impacting the industry; and advancing the industry as a whole. NCA’s member companies account for more than 90 percent of all candles made in the U.S.

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