Good Morning my lovelies. I hope you are all doing well. My question today is how do you deal with the candle soot/incense smoke that seems to all over everything in my room where my altar is. I feel like there is a constant film on my windows, mirrors, etc. The staining on my walls and ceiling has gotten pretty bad too. Almost to the point where I want to repaint. I snuff out my candles after all spell work and meditation but of course they still smoke, and incense, well that obviously is smokey no matter what.
Any tips to help lower the amount of soot everywhere or good methods of removal would be greatly appreciated.
I don’t think I’ve ever had to do this myself but I would imagine making it a point to wipe down the walls, your altar space, etc. every week or once a month should help keep it from building up. As for removing it, maybe a warm cloth and water? I did find this website that might be useful!
Sorry to hear about the soot problem! My first instinct would be to check the ventilation in the room- is air flowing properly? I would double-check any vents in the space and clean them out if possible to increase clean air flow
You could also try leaving doors and windows open (even just slightly) to help air flow as well and prevent stagnant soot buildup
Megan had a great idea about scheduling time to clean the walls, and I second what Mary suggested about using beeswax candles- they are supposed to burn cleaner than other types of candles to the point where some say they actually purify the air as they burn
I’m wishing you all the best and I hope you can find some ways to help reduce the soot that work for you- good luck and blessed be!
I had another look around the internet and it seems that there are a few things you can do to help prevent a large accumulation of soot.
trim the wick – an incorrect wick size will burn hotter and faster, causing more soot and smoke
reduce drafts and candle flickers – the more a candle flickers and burns unevenly, the more wax the candle burns and the more soot the candle creates
wick material matters – cotton wicks are less likely to produce large quantities of soot
candle additives – if the candle has a lot of fragrance or color, it affects the way wax is transferred up the candle to the wick and the way it burns; more additives mean more soot
Here are a few sources I found but it seems to be the consensus that candle wicks should be no more than 1/4 inch long to help prevent soot and improper burning.
Thank you everyone. I think I will get the walls and such cleaned up and start using a better quality candle made from beeswax. @BryWisteria@mary25@MeganB do you have any suggestions where I can get good, colored if possible, beeswax candles that wont break the bank too much?
I’m not sure about colored beeswax candles. Maybe try Etsy for handcrafted ones or a local metaphysical store or botanica? Even health food stores like Sprouts or Whole Foods might have some!
A search on Google or Amazon will turn up plenty of online resellers, but I think the best way to get high quality beeswax (and often at much better prices, plus no shipping fees!) is to go to local craft fairs and visit local sellers.
Another option is to see if your area has a beekeeper’s association- most states in the US have several. In my state, there’s the MA Beekeeper’s Society but most counties have their own group too- I went to several events by the Norfolk County Beekeeper’s Association. Check the website for events, meetings, or a list of registered beekeepers. Many of them are likely to have stores or sell all-natural bee products.
When possible, connecting with local beekeepers is a fun way to connect with the community, shop local, get the best quality products, and often save a bit of money too
Good luck and happy shopping, @WisconsinWitch- I hope you can get your hands on some lovely beeswax candles!
Thanks again everyone. I actually have a friend that keeps bees for a living in a very high volume. They then sell their wax to another local woman! She is going to make my pillar candles for my altar and I was able to find beeswax chime candles on Etsy that I am going to try. I also purchased low smoke, Japanese incense that smells amazing BTW. Hopefully this will help with the soot issue. And hopefully mother nature will warm up enough soon so I can open some windows. Gotta love spring in Wisconsin 80 one day, 37 and snow the next!
Blessed be.
That is awesome- congrats to you for finding your beeswax candles! May they burn bright and clean for you Enjoy the incense too, sounds like a perfect solution to the soot problem, and a bonus if it smells amazing too!
Enjoy the incense too, sounds like a perfect solution to the soot problem, and a bonus if it smells amazing too!