Candle Safety Information

Candle Safety Information


Candles mark special occasions and create a special atmosphere. They also bring fire into your home. So treat them carefully. Here are some guidelines.

  • Always put candles on a heat resistant surface.
  • Be especially careful with night lights and tea lights, which get hot enough to melt plastic tv's
  • Put them in a proper holder.
  • Candles need to be held firmly upright by the holder so they won't fall over. The holder needs to be stable too, so it won't fall over either.
  • Position them away from curtains.
  • Don't put candles near curtains or other fabrics - or furniture. And keep them out of draughts.
  • Don't put them under shelves.
  • It's easy to forget that there's a lot of heat above a burning candle. If you put it under a shelf or other surface then it can burn the surface. Make sure there's at least three feet (one metre) between a candle and any surface above it.
  • Keep clothes and hair away.
  • If there's any chance you could lean across a candle and forget it's there, put it somewhere else. You don't want to set fire to your clothes or your hair.
  • Keep children and pets away.
  • Candles should be out of reach of children and pets.
  • Keep candles apart.
  • Leave at least four inches (10cm) between two burning candles.
  • Take care with votive or scented candles.
  • These kinds of candles turn to liquid to release their fragrance, so put them in a glass or metal holder.
  • Don't move them when they're burning.
  • Extinguish candles before moving them. Also, don't let anything fall into the hot wax like match sticks.
  • Don't leave them burning.
  • Extinguish candles before you leave a room. Never go to sleep with a candle still burning. And never leave a burning candle or oil burner in a child's bedroom.
  • Use a snuffer or a spoon to put them out. It's safer than blowing them, which can send sparks and hot wax flying.
  • Double-check they're out .
  • Candles that have been put out can go on smouldering and start a fire. Make sure they're completely out.