Why is my candle making soot and smoking?
What you see: black smoke from the flame, soot marks on the jar rim or walls.
Why it happens: incomplete combustion — the wick is drawing more fuel than the flame can burn cleanly. Causes: wick too large, wick too long (trim to ¼" before every burn), drafts whipping the flame, or a fragrance load so high the wick can't keep up.
The fix: trim first — it's free. If a properly trimmed wick still smokes, wick down one size. Burn away from vents, fans, and foot traffic.
Don't guess your next batch.
Run your exact wax, fragrance, and wick numbers through the free calculator so this doesn't happen again.
More candle fixes
- Why does my candle have sinkholes?
- Why does my candle have wet spots?
- Why is my soy candle frosting?
- Why is my candle tunneling down the middle?
- Why can't I smell my candle when it's lit?
- Why can't I smell my candle before I light it?
- Why is my candle wick mushrooming?
- Why is my candle sweating oil?
- Why did the top of my candle crack?
- Why is my candle wick drowning?
- Why is my candle turning yellow / changing color?