There really is no such thing as a completely “clean” candle. But experts suggest that reducing the amount of time you burn wax may help.
A candle burning too long is like a car overheating. The best time for candles to burn is three to four hours.
According to a 2013 study, when the wax melts, it starts burning faster and produces a lot of soot, which is not suitable for human inhalation. Another 2001 report noted that scented candles produced more soot than unscented candles because of the way solid paraffin reacted with liquid aromatic oils (at room temperature).
Wicks should also be trimmed regularly to reduce soot.
Instead of leaving one candle burning all day, light a new one every few hours to maintain a steady burn rate.
Choose paraffin candles or soy candles?
If fragrance is most important, paraffin candles smell better than soy candles. The stronger scent of paraffin candles can make you calmer.
If you’re looking for a plant-based base or want to support American agriculture, soy candles are a great choice.
Matthew Malin, co-founder of Malin + Goetz, said his scented candles are (mostly) a blend of paraffin and soy wax, and the best-selling dark rum flavor is made with synthetic spices.
“First of all, consumers buy scented candles based on scent,” Marin said, and the material may not be as important to them.
