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Slow down the wick!
If you’ve ever noticed a little black ring around the rim of your candle jar or a faint trail of smoke, you’ve seen soot. It’s one of those things that can make even the prettiest candle look a bit… well, grubby. The good news? The wax isn’t to blame.
Let’s break down what’s really happening.
Soot is simply unburned carbon — tiny black particles that form when a flame isn’t getting enough oxygen. In candle terms, that means something in your setup is causing the flame to burn imperfectly. Think of it like a campfire with damp wood: it still burns, but it smokes and sputters because it’s struggling to breathe.
Candle wax itself doesn’t naturally produce soot. When it’s wicked and burned correctly, it vaporises cleanly and completely. So if you’re seeing soot, your candle’s chemistry isn’t the problem — the conditions are.
1. The Wick Is Too Long
This is the number one offender. A long wick produces a big, flickering flame that draws too much fuel (wax) and not enough air. The result? Incomplete combustion — aka soot city.
👉 Tip: Always trim your wick to about 5mm before each burn. Yes, every single time.
2. Drafts and Airflow
If your candle’s flame is dancing around like it’s at a rave, air currents are disturbing the burn. That flickering causes the flame to draw wax unevenly, which again means incomplete burning and soot.
👉 Tip: Keep your candle away from air vents, open windows, or ceiling fans.
3. Burn Time Matters
Letting a candle burn for hours and hours sounds lovely — until it overheats the container and the wax starts to burn too hot. Once that happens, you get a smoky flame and that telltale black haze.
👉 Tip: Stick to 3–4 hour burn sessions, then let your candle cool and reset.
4. Fragrance Overload
We all love a strong scent throw, but overloading a candle with too much fragrance oil can make it burn unevenly and create residue that smokes. This is where balance and formulation come in — and trust me, we’ve done our homework.
Because wax doesn’t just randomly decide to misbehave. Whether you’re using soy, beeswax, or a blend, it all comes down to how it’s wicked, poured, and burned. If a candle is properly formulated, it will burn cleanly.
Soot is a symptom, not a material flaw. It’s the candle’s way of saying, “Hey, give me a trim and a calm space, please!”
At Aussie Candle Supplies, our waxes are tested for performance, melt point, and fragrance compatibility — all to make sure they’re capable of burning cleanly when used correctly. With the right wick, right fragrance load, and a little TLC from you, you’ll never see that black smudge again.
Your candle wants to glow, not smoke. Treat it right, and it’ll reward you with a beautiful, steady burn — soot-free and satisfying.
