Frequently asked questions in our Yankee’s stores
Q: Does Yankee Candle Company use lead wicks?
A: There has been a good deal of recent coverage in the media regarding possible health issues relating to candles containing lead wicks, some of which has unfortunately been confusing or misleading. In order to eliminate any concern or confusion on the part of our guests and consumers in general, THE YANKEE CANDLE COMPANY WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE YOU THAT YANKEE CANDLE DOES NOT USE LEAD WICKS IN ANY OF THEIR CANDLE PRODUCTS. Moreover, the National Candle Association, of which Yankee Candle is a long-standing member, has already been working for some time to attempt to ensure the removal of lead-core wicks from the marketplace, and Yankee Candle will continue to support any appropriate efforts to do so. All of their products are today manufactured with pure cotton wicks that are free from lead and completely safe. At Yankee Candle they care deeply about the health and well-being of their guests and customers. After all, many of them are their own families, friends and loved ones. They are therefore firmly committed to producing high quality candle products that can be enjoyed and enjoyed safely. This has been their mission for over 30 years and we will continue to strive to offer the very best candles available.
Q: How can I keep my candles looking their best?
A: Candles will discolor or fade when they are exposed to intense light for extended periods. If possible, don’t display candles for long periods in direct sunlight, fluorescent lighting or other strong illumination. Incandescent lighting is recommended. Store candles in a cool, dry place. Wax will soften in temperatures over 27 degrees Celcius. This may cause Taper candles to bend, or may effect the quality of your other candle styles.
Q: Why do candles sometimes get mushroom shapes on the wicks?
A: When a candle is consuming more wax than the flame can burn completely, carbon deposits may develop. This is most likely to occur when the wick is too long and needs to be trimmed. Blow out the flame, trim the wick (removing the carbon deposit) and re-light. Do not allow wick trimmings or other combustible materials to remain in the candle.
Q: Do you have a candle that “eats” smoke or cooking odors?
A: All our fragranced candles will mask smoke or cooking odors. There is no magic ingredient that will make one candle more effective than others, though one of our stronger fragrances may work more quickly.
Q: Can I refill my jar candle when it is empty? Or, do you recycle the empty jars?
A: Glass jars weaken with handling, developing tiny stress fractures that could cause them to break if refilled with hot wax. However, they make terrific holders for all kinds of household items: buttons, nails, cotton balls, potpourri, seashells … whatever small collections you may want to display. Additionally, most local recycling centres will accept empty Yankee Candle jars with other glass jars.
Q: Are Yankee Candle Tapers dripless?
A: Our Tapers are specially made to be drip-resistant. The outside coating is slightly harder than the wax on the inside. This outer “shell” produces a barrier to dripping in most situations. Always trim a taper’s wick to one-eighth to one-quarter inch before lighting. This will also reduce the chance of your candle dripping. However, exposing a burning taper to drafts and other heat sources, or not placing the candle perfectly straight in the holder, may nevertheless cause it to drip.
Q: How can I remove candle wax from fabric?
A: First, we suggest you consult the laundering instructions provided by the manufacturer of the tablecloth or other fabric, if available. Professional cleaners are also valuable sources of information. If attempting to clean the item yourself, it is important to allow the wax to completely harden. Once hard, gently chip away the larger pieces of wax from the fabric. After much of the wax has been removed, run hot water through the fabric to loosen the remaining wax. Citrus based or oil based cleaners are most effective in removing stains.
Q: How do you make your candles smell so authentic?
A: Yankee Candle trade secret is their trained noses! Actually, they have a committee of experts dedicated to researching fragrances. Once the committee recommends a fragrance, a separate group of individuals who work in a variety of areas throughout the company home-test the fragrance for authenticity and quality of burn.
Q: Which is your most fragrant candle?
A: Our jar candles tend to be perceived as most fragrant due to the larger melted pool of wax. The larger surface area of liquid wax allows the fragrance oil to vaporize into the air more readily and in larger quantity.
Q: What is the difference between Yankee Candles and other brands?
A: Yankee Candle® has been devoted to the art of candle-crafting for thirty-plus years. We use only the highest quality materials: the best wicks, glassware, and premium-grade, highly-refined paraffin waxes specially blended for optimum burning and fragrancing performance. They also offer the best and largest selection. And every Yankee Candle® is made in the USA . . . offering consistent quality you can trust.
Q: If I wanted to use my empty Yankee Candle jar for storage, how can I remove the metal wick base?
A: The metal wick base has been glued in the center of the jar to prevent the wick from moving too close to the edge of the glass jar. To remove it, first be sure the jar is empty of wax. (Placing the jar in a freezer will help you remove left-over wax.) Then, simply pour enough rubbing alcohol into the jar to cover the base, and allow it to sit for a couple of days. The rubbing alcohol should soften the glue and release the base. It is important that you allow the rubbing alcohol time to work and that you don’t pry at the base with any object, including your hand!
Q: Why do you recommend that I discontinue using the candle when a half inch of wax remains?
A: The glass may get quite hot on the bottom as the flame nears the base of the jar and most of the wax has been consumed. This instruction helps prevent possible damage to the surface on which the jar is burning. However, you should also remember that candles should always be burned on heat resistant surfaces; i.e., trivets, plates or other appropriate holders.