Did you ever burn your skin with hot oil or hot melted fat? Then you know what I am talking about here.

Safety precautions for making candles with hot wax

Important are the recommended temperatures of the wax you use. They can be different depending on the wax. I recommend the use of a double boiler to prevent an overheating of the melted wax. In this case the melted wax can never achieve a higher temperature than the water which is around 100°C or 212°F. If you do not use a double boiler you should always measure continuously the wax temperature with a thermometer to avoid dangerous temperature levels. Heating up the wax too much can lead to a fire of your melted wax. Using a gas flame can be more dangerous as the open flame can ignite a gas mixture flammable in air caused from evaporated wax and the Oxygen in the ambient air. So be careful if you use an open flame.

Never try to extinguish burning hot melted wax with water. This is dangerous. The water will evaporate immediately and will spread out the burning wax like an explosion so you can burn heavily your face and the whole skin of your body. Further your clothes or your inventory can catch a heavy fire.

Watch the following video and see how dangerous it can be trying to extinguish
burning oil or hot melted wax with water

If the fire is only in your melting pot you can cover the pot with a nonflammable cover to cut off the Oxygen supply to the fire. Usually the fire will be down in a few seconds.

If you get burning wax on other surfaces like the floor or furniture you can use a dry chemical fire extinguisher. That means you should have a fire extinguisher in place for a good safety precaution. Put one in your working area or place it nearby to have immediate access in cases you need it.

Further you should never leave your melting pot with hot wax unattended during the whole process. If you have young kids or animals like dogs and cats it goes without saying how important it is to control the procedure and not leaving the melting area.

Preparation of your working place

Prepare your working place for a good working procedure. Start with a clean and tidy working space. You should separate your working area in the preparation area, the melting area and the pouring area so you have a clear and structured working place. You will get a much better overview about necessary precautions you have to take. Wax can be very slippery. Therefore spilled wax as well as fragrance oils are potentially risky on the floor if you step on it.

Further make sure to have a good ventilation of your working area. If you use your kitchen you should switch on your kitchen hood above your oven and open the window.
Using various strong scents can cause irritations in your upper respiratory tract in a poor aired working area, especially if you use too much and the concentration is too high.

Cover your working area with old newspapers or aluminum foil to protect your floor or furniture if you spill hot wax. Have some rags or paper towels available for immediate clean-up. Protect your hands with gloves and wear an apron to protect your clothes and your body against hot wax splatter. Most injuries are skin burns when people making candles. Skin irritations from fragrances or irritations of your respiratory tract from scent fumes are another possibility you should be aware of. So please handle this with a respective care.

Further instructions of safety precautions for making candles you can find in the comprehensive guide from the candle making expert Sarah Johnstan.

Storage of fragrances, dye and wax

As said before you should read the instructions of the manufacturers carefully and follow their recommendations. This is the best way to avoid any problems and trouble.

Do not store your fragrances or essential oils in an area with direct sunlight. Store it in a cabinet at a place where young children or animals have no access or with the possibility to lock it. This is of some importance as both maybe like some smell of your fragrances and try to get access to it. If they tasted it or they get some skin irritation you should clean the area with water and further consult your doctor for further physical examination.

Do not be afraid now to make beautiful candles at your home. It is a little bit the same as when you cooking with hot oil or using some cleaning agents. You have to be careful as well but you do not stop cooking and cleaning. It’s often your daily work and not complicated.

The necessary safety precautions for making candles should not stop you to have fun creating your own candles. If you be aware of possible problems and prepare yourself and your working area and follow the instructions of the manufacturers of the chemicals and hardware you use, then you did the best you can do to enjoy your candle making hobby.