More and more people are leaning towards the production of candles from home, whether it be for their own personal use, a gift or to make a small fortune on the side. It is important to have a safe work area that will not be disturbed. As beautiful as candles can be – they also have a nasty side. When working with candles always keep and eye on the temperature, at high temperatures the wax will start to burn and emit dangerous fumes. It would be wise to invest into a thermometer to decrease the safety hazards in your work area.

If by chance the temperature has exceeded the wax may burst into flames and cause a fire. If this happens it's critical that you do not try to extinguish the fire with water as this will only act as a fuel carrier. Instead try to extinguish the flame with a damp cloth. To reduce the chances of this happening a double boiler would be a good place to start, basically the outer pot is placed on the naked flame and filled with a little bit of water and then another pot is inserted inside the outer pot to protect the wax from overheating.

Wear protective clothing, ensuring that your feet are covered with closed in socks and shoes, your hands are covered by a pair of gloves (preferably a heavy cloth material). Your legs and arms should also be covered to reduce the risk of being burnt. Investigate your work area, is there anything on the ground that you could easily trip over? Any sharp edges protruding from any of the surfaces you will be working on. Also if you have children or pets in the home, is the area safe for those to be in it?

Keep a bucket of cool water nearby in case you need to soothe any minor burns, ensure the water is kept well away from the wax. Ensure your work area is well ventilated but also that there is no wind from any windows or doors.

Essential oils are used for medicinal and aromatic properties. Care is to be taken while working with these. Some people take a reaction to essential oils, even if there has never been am irritation before it is known to effect the skin. Wear gloves while working with oils. Also it's important to be aware that some oils can have a negative effect in pregnant women.

If you are giving the candle as a gift or plan on selling it, attach a safety card to the item to make sure that is is used correctly. It sounds like a lot of common sense but people seem to forget the 'little things'.

Tags & Keywords : safety, candle, home, craft, gift