Making candles is fun and relaxing. While it does allow you to be creative, there are some basic candle-making steps you need to follow to make the process flow well. Nothing is more disappointing than discovering your candles didn’t form correctly. Safety is vital in candle-making. Most people make candles in their kitchen. You will want to have a fire extinguisher handy as well as a non-slip mat placed in from of your stove. Always wear old clothing and long sleeves. However, make sure your sleeves don’t dangle where they can fall into the hot wax.
There is the risk of severe burns since you will have to get the candle wax very hot to melt completely. You also have the risk of starting a fire. Clean up all spilled wax immediately. It won’t take long to harden, thus becoming very slippery. The dyes and scents used in candle making can leave stains.
The best way to set up your work area for candle making is to divide it into three specific workstations for preparation, the melting process, and the cooling process. The preparation area doesn’t need to be large, just a flat surface that is well organized. To make the process flow best, use a counter near the stove. You will want to keep your utensils, thermometer, additives, and other candle-making supplies in this area. It is a good idea to know what types of candles you will be making ahead of time so that you have all the necessary items ready to go.
Your melting workstation will likely be the stove. You will need to use a double boiler to melt the wax to a temperature that is hot enough without scorching it. The molecular structure of the wax can be damaged if the direct heat to it is too much. This means your candles won’t form well or hold up well when they are used. Wax comes in sheets or blocks. You will need to chip off chunks to melt. A hammer and flat head screwdriver work well for this.
Chipping wax should be done in the preparation stage so that you can simply add more pieces throughout the melting process. You will want to weigh each piece of wax before adding it to the pot for melting. This will help you determine how much scent and dye to add, which is based on weight.
The cooling station needs to be a flat area such as a countertop or table. The wax needs to cool for several hours so this area needs to withstand high temperatures and remain undisturbed for long periods. The area should not be directly in the path of sunlight or heating/cooling systems. If it is, the candles will not set properly. If you plan to use molds for your candles, have them set up in the cooling area while the wax is melting. Once it is done melting, you will need to pour it immediately into the molds. To prevent a mess from spills, use an old cookie sheet for the molds to rest on.
The candle-making process will run smoothly and efficiently if you follow these tips for establishing three workstations.
