Should You Freeze Your Candles to Make Them Last Longer?
There’s a popular tip floating around that says if you pop your candle in the freezer before lighting it, it’ll burn slower and last longer. But is this actually true, or just another myth? Let’s take a closer look at how freezing affects candles and whether it’s worth the effort.
The Idea Behind Freezing Candles
What Happens When You Freeze a Candle?
The Science Behind Wax and Freezing
Does it Depend on the Type of Wax?
So Should You Freeze Your Candles?
The Idea Behind Freezing Candles
The logic seems simple enough: by hardening the wax, the candle will burn more slowly, giving you more hours of use. In theory, this makes sense. If the wax is colder, it should take longer to melt, right?
But candles don’t work quite like that.
The wick doesn’t burn the wax directly; instead, it melts the wax, which is then drawn up the wick and vaporised as fuel for the flame. If the wax is too hard or too cold, it could actually make it harder for the wick to pull the wax up properly.
What Happens When You Freeze a Candle?
There have been mixed opinions and even a few informal experiments on this.
A test by House Digest found that a candle stored in the freezer did seem to burn longer than one stored at room temperature. The frozen candle burned for around 14 hours, while the unfrozen one lasted about 9 hours.
However, the U.S. Candle Company argues that freezing a candle doesn’t make a real difference because once the surface wax warms up, the rest of the candle burns as usual.
More importantly, freezing can cause some unintended issues, including:
Cracking Wax contracts when it gets too cold, which can cause cracks or even break the candle completely. This is especially risky for pillars and votives.
Wick Issues If the wax is too hard, the wick might struggle to pull up melted wax, leading to an uneven or weaker burn.
Glass Damage If the candle is in a glass jar, extreme temperature changes could make the glass more fragile or even cause it to crack.
Moisture in the Wick At the very least, it’s a bad idea to put your candle in the fridge or freezer to attempt to extend its life simply because moisture will almost definitely cause your candle to perform badly!
The Science Behind Wax and Freezing
If you’re wondering whether there’s any scientific evidence behind freezing candles, research suggests that wax undergoes structural changes when exposed to extreme cold. A study published in the Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society examined how different waxes crystallize and harden at lower temperatures. (Read the study here)
While the study doesn’t specifically test candles, it confirms that wax contracts and changes texture when cooled. This supports the idea that freezing could cause cracks or alter how the wick interacts with the wax. More importantly, the research indicates that hardening wax doesn’t necessarily mean a slower burn, since once the candle is lit, the wax quickly returns to its normal burning state.
This backs up what many candle experts say; freezing isn’t an effective way to make your candle last longer and could even cause unintended issues.
Does It Depend on the Type of Wax?
Yes! Different waxes respond differently to freezing.
• Paraffin Wax Since paraffin is petroleum-based, freezing might slightly alter its burn characteristics, but the difference is small.
• Beeswax This natural wax has a unique crystalline structure that could be affected by freezing, though there isn’t much data on it.
• Soy Wax Since soy wax is softer and more prone to frosting (a white, cloudy appearance), freezing might affect its texture without really improving its burn time.
Overall, no matter the wax type, the risks (cracking, wick issues, etc.) seem to outweigh the small potential benefit.
So, Should You Freeze Your Candles?
Probably not. While one or two experiments suggest it might help, most experts say it’s not an effective way to extend burn time. Plus, the risk of cracking, wick performance issues, and potential glass damage make it more trouble than it’s worth.
Instead of freezing, try these proven methods to make your candles last longer:
✔ Trim the Wick Keeping the wick around 5mm (¼ inch) helps prevent excessive soot and uneven burning.
✔ Let It Burn Long Enough On the first burn, let the candle melt to the edges to avoid tunneling.
✔ Avoid Drafts Wind or air movement can make the flame flicker, causing uneven melting and wasted wax.
✔ Store Candles Properly Keep them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent warping or scent loss.
The Verdict
Freezing candles might sound like a clever trick, but it’s not the best way to make them last longer. Besides, do you really want your beautiful scented candles in the freezer next to Tuesday night’s spaghetti mince, or curry leftovers?
Proper candle care, like trimming the wick and burning it correctly, will do much more to extend its life. Without the risk of cracks or wick problems.
Have you ever tried freezing a candle? Did it work for you? Let us know in the comments!
Got a strong opinion about the use of botanicals in candles? Check out this post here: Why You Should Avoid Candles With Botanicals and Crystals
Sources:
1. Combustion Characteristics of Candles Made from Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
2. An interesting and sometimes technical forum debate.