As much as we love technology and the convenience it bring us, we lost something precious when we stopped lighting candles and moved to fluorescents and harsh bulbs.  There's something alive and inviting in candle light, and if you start a fire in the fireplace, everyone gravitates toward it. 

The Holiday season is when many of us rediscover what we've lost through technology.  Candles abound, no matter how you celebrate this season.  And, wherever there are candles, there is the potential for a waxy disaster.  This week, learn the history of candles and about the home craft of candle-making, and how to clean up after wax gets on the carpet, the upholstery, your table linens or a favorite holiday outfit.

We hope to see you soon,

Jim Nixon,
The Cleaners

Velvet Round-Up Coupon

'Tis the season to get out the holiday velvet!  How's it look?  A bit crushed?  A stain you didn't notice when you put it away at the end of last year's holiday season?  We'll do a velvet item at HALF PRICE if you have $10 or more in regular cleaning.  We'll make it soft and inviting once again.  (Include the first page of this e-mail with your order.  Offer expires Dec. 13, 2003.  Cannot be combined with other offers.)

Portable Light

The beauty of candles over a fireplace is that the candles can be carried from place to place.  This was a major step forward in the realm of safe travel (or travel at all) at night.  It was probably the Romans who first came up with the idea of a wick, making modern candles possible.  Early candles were made of tallow, which was made by rendering cattle or sheep.  Unfortunately, this meant they also smoked a great deal when burned, and smelled like... well... what they were.  Bees wax was a huge innovation in the Middle Ages, but since honey bees are not very cooperative in giving up their wax, these were expensive candles only for the rich.  They did, however, burn cleanly, without an offensive odor.

Wax obtained from parts of whales also moved candle making forward, since it did not put out an odor and was harder than the previous waxes (it didn't melt in summer.)  It wasn't until 1834 that Joseph Morgan invented a machine that produced continuous molded candles, and ejected them as they cooled.  16 years later, paraffin wax was first made from oil and coal shales.

All this candle innovation came to a screeching halt in 1879 when the light bulb was invented.  As with most new innovations, the bulbs took over.  It was only at the turn of the 20th century that candles came back into vogue, mostly for decorative purposes.  They've gained in popularity and variety ever since.  Today, they are used for celebrations, meditation, romance, ceremony, and much more.  The candle industry in the US alone generates $2 billion in sales, if you include candles and related accessories.

Read More About It

• The types of candles -- from Tapers to tealights, luminaria to floating and gel.
• Wicks and more -- including how to test your candles to be sure they aren't using lead wicks.

That Makes Scents

It's hard to find candles that DON'T have a scent to them these days, and many have scents that are absolutely mouth-watering.  People burn scented candles to overcome annoying cooking or other household odors, or just to feel more relaxed.  Many consumers think all aromatic candles are "aromatherapy" candles.  Not so.  Those that are simply scented produce an effect called "aroma-chology" -- this is having to do with the psychological effects of the scent.  True "aromatherapy" involves oils in high enough concentrations that you actually absorb them through smelling them, and these produce a physiological effect (relaxation, added energy, etc.)

Candle Safety

Candles seem so sweet and harmless.  But never forget that they are fire, and as such can cause serious harm.  Data from the National Fire Protection Association show that candle fires peak on Christmas Day, with a second peak on New Year's Day.  Christmas Eve is also a high candle-fire day.  In 1999, an estimated 15,040 home fires were started by candles and reported to local fire departments.

• Trim wicks to 1/4 inch before use.
• Don't let wick trimming or matches fall into the wax pool.  Remove them before burning.
• Keep candles away from drafts or vents.
• Burn only in a well-ventilated room.
• If a candle is smoking or flickering noticeably, put it out.
• If you group candles, have them at least 3 inches apart.
• Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or going to sleep.
• Keep them away from items that are flammable (clothes, books, paper, curtains, Christmas trees)
• Use sturdy candle holders that won't tip over.
• Don't place lit candles in windows where blinds or curtains can close over them.
• Keep candles out of the reach of children.
• Don't allow children and teens to have candles in their bedrooms.

Have you ever wondered...

Where does that wax go that seems to disappear when you burn a candle?  If you've ever wondered, you're not alone.  The wax oxidizes because of the flame, and turns into water and carbon dioxide, which dissipate into the air.  It is this reaction that generates the light you see and heat you feel in a burning candle.  As long as the wax doesn't melt away from the flame (for instance, if a draft pushes it over the side of the candle, or the candle "leaks" and wax runs out) the wax will all be consumed, leaving no ash or residue.  Pretty slick!

The Wax that got away!

If you've got candles, eventually you'll have wax somewhere other than where it is supposed to be. 

• You don't put out the candles at the table, and linger over coffee in the living room -- wax all over that linen table cloth you love! 
• You put a candle on the mantle for the holidays and are distracted by the party -- wax runs all down the brickwork of the fireplace! 
• You blow out a candle a bit too forcefully -- wax on the wall, or your nice wallpaper! 
• You move a just-blown-out candle too quickly -- wax on your nice holiday clothes!
• The dog runs through and tips over a big candle on the coffee table.  The flame goes out instantly, but -- wax all over your carpet!

These all sound like disasters, but there are ways to recover from them.  Let's make this simple, though: if you've got wax on something that is fabric and portable, bring it to us.  Why?  For one thing, drycleaning solvent dissolves wax.  For another, many of today's candles include not only paraffin, but scents, dyes, pigments and other substances.  So, even if you get the WAX off your favorite outfit, you may not get out the oily residue, or the color.  And working on it at home may also mean you end up scrubbing the trouble into the fibers, making it difficult or impossible to get out.

For those things that are not portable, there are some things you can try (* ):

• Carpet with wax on it -- wait until the wax cools completely, and pick off what you can.  Then take a paper bag (large is best, and with the writing INSIDE, not out, so you don't transfer it to the rug!) and put it over the wax.  Use a steam iron set on medium-high, and iron the paper over the wax.  Keep the iron moving, and keep moving the bag so you're always working with a clean part of the bag.  The wax will melt, adhere to the bag, and lift away.  If there is an oily spot left, put baking soda on it over night.  It will absorb the oil.  Vacuum away.
• For vertical surfaces like walls or brickwork -- flake off as much cold wax as possible.  If you need to soften some wax, use a hair dryer.  For the oily residue left, use a diluted solution of vinegar and water.
• If you get wax on a wood surface, like an end table -- wait until it cools, then take a credit card or similar piece of plastic in both hands and gently scrape in the same direction as the grain of the wood.  Remove any last residue with a soft cloth with mild soap, and then polish as usual, in the direction of the grain.

What about getting candle ends out of holders?  You might have a decorative holder, and the candle has burned down as far as is safe to burn, but you don't know how to get it out of the holder.  Or wax has dripped on the outside of a candle holder.  How do you get it off? Easy! 

• Put the candle holder in the freezer for a few minutes.  The frozen wax will pop out or flake off easily.

OR

• Soak the holder in very warm water (not boiling) and the wax will soften and wipe off.  Run through the dishwasher to remove final residue.

Yes, candles can be problems, but they are so delightfully alive and sentimental.  Use them with care, and enjoy the season of lights.

Sites on the Internet for buying candles,
candle-making materials, and more:

• A directory of candle sites -- including where to buy supplies, books about candles and candle-making, associations, and more.
• Discount Candle Shop -- candles, supplies, forums discussing candles and candle-making.
• Wicks End -- attractive candle gift sets and more.
• Illuminations -- Snuffers, accessories, complete catalogue.
• GenWax -- supplies and more.
• Illuminous Times -- soy candles
• Or put "candles" or "candle making" in your favorite search window.  Sites abound.

(*) Information given for removing wax is culled from numerous sources, and should be used at the consumer's risk.  Always test remedies in an inconspicuous area before making full restoration efforts.