Lena Hackauf

December 20, 2023, 4:11 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

Whether it’s a romantic evening, an Advent wreath during the Christmas season, or relaxing in the bathtub–candles brighten the mood in various moments. Thanks to two simple tricks, candles are supposed to burn longer. myHOMEBOOK tested them with interesting results.

Make Candles Burn Longer–2 Tips

Allegedly, two tips can help make your candles shine significantly longer. It doesn’t matter whether they are taper candles, tea lights, or pillar candles–these tricks are supposed to work every time.

Related: How to Prevent Candle Soot

1. Put Candles in the Freezer to Make Them Burn Longer

Initially sounds absurd, but it is supposed to help make candles last longer. If you place them in the freezer for several days, their lifespan extends. The idea is simple: the colder a material is, the longer it takes to warm up. In our case, the wax would take longer to reach its melting point. The test shows: The candle indeed burns slower, but only in a barely visible range.

2. Salt in the Burning Candle

After lighting the candle and forming a small pool of liquid wax, sprinkle salt on the burning candle. This is supposed to bind the liquid wax, making the candle burn longer. The test also shows a slight improvement in burn time. However, this trick is far from doubling the lifespan, as sometimes promised.

More on the topic

Did You Know? How to Prevent a Candle from Sooting

Two Methods How to Easily Remove Wax Residue from Glasses

Conclusion

Both tricks worked, but only to a barely measurable extent. In the end, you might enjoy your candle for about ten minutes longer. If the effort doesn’t deter you, you could save some money in the long run and live more sustainably.

Decorate Candles

Candles are a true classic when it comes to decorating a home. However, one might eventually tire of white, straight taper candles on windowsills, tables, and shelves. How about trying marbled candles for a change?

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All you need are two light-colored candles and a lighter. Here’s how to do it–it’s incredibly easy:

1. Light one candle using the lighter.
2. Now move the second candle into the flame of the first. The smoke and soot leave an appealing marble pattern on the wax.