How to Trim a Candle Wick, and How Short It Should Be

Of all the small things that change how a candle burns, the wick is the one most people never touch. Yet a few seconds with a pair of scissors before you light it makes a visible difference: a calmer flame, an even melt and more hours from the same candle. This is a short guide to doing it well.

How short should a candle wick be?

Trim the wick to 0.5 to 1 cm before every burn. That is long enough to hold a steady flame and short enough to keep it small and calm.

A wick that is too long draws up more melted wax than the flame needs. The flame grows taller, starts to flicker and burns through the wax faster. A wick that is cut too short struggles to stay lit and can drown in its own melt pool. Between 0.5 and 1 cm is the range where most well-made candles behave as they were designed to.

When should you trim a candle wick?

Trim it every time, before you light it, while the candle is cool and the wax is solid. Never trim a wick while the candle is burning or just after you have put it out.

The first time you light a new candle, check the wick as well. It usually arrives at a good length, but a quick look costs nothing. After that, make it part of the ritual: trim, light, enjoy, put out.

How do you trim a candle wick?

Hold the wick upright and cut straight across, leaving 0.5 to 1 cm above the wax. Then lift the trimmed piece out so it does not fall back into the candle.

1. Let the candle cool completely. The wax should be firm and the wick cold.
2. Straighten the wick. If it has bent over, gently stand it upright with your fingers.
3. Cut once, straight across. Aim for 0.5 to 1 cm. If you are unsure, err towards 1 cm; you can always trim a little more next time.
4. Remove the trimmings. Small pieces of charred wick left on the wax can catch alight next time and make the flame uneven.
5. Centre the wick. A wick that stands in the middle melts the wax evenly on all sides.

How do you trim a candle wick without a wick trimmer?

Small sharp scissors or a nail clipper work well. For a wick that has only a little charred tip, you can also pinch the tip off with a tissue once the wick is cold.

A dedicated wick trimmer is useful for candles in deep jars, because its angled blades reach down inside the glass. A pillar candle stands free, so the wick is always easy to reach and ordinary scissors are all you need.

Why does a candle wick curl or form a small black ball?

As a wick burns, its tip chars and can bend over or collect a small rounded cap of carbon. Trimming that tip off before you light the candle again resets the wick.

A slight curl is normal and even intended in many cotton wicks: it lets the tip bend into the hottest part of the flame. What you want to avoid is a long, heavy tip that makes the flame larger than it needs to be. A regular trim keeps that from building up.

Does trimming the wick make a candle last longer?

Yes. A shorter wick gives a smaller flame, and a smaller flame melts the wax more slowly, so the candle burns for more hours.

This matters most with natural wax, which is made to burn slowly. Our Signature Candle stands 20 cm high, is 8 cm in diameter, weighs 800 g and gives 180 to 200 hours of burn time. A wick left long burns through the wax faster, so a regular trim is part of getting all of those hours.

Three habits that go with a well-trimmed wick

• Burn for up to four hours at a time. After that, put the candle out, let it cool and trim the wick before the next burn.
• Keep the candle out of draughts. Moving air bends the flame and makes the wax melt unevenly, however well the wick is trimmed.
• Put the flame out without blowing. A snuffer puts the flame out calmly, without blowing wax across the table. The Snuffer is a brass snuffer for exactly this.

Why we use a cotton wick

LLIOR is a Dutch candle brand that makes unscented candles from a 50/50 blend of beeswax and soy wax, with a cotton wick and no paraffin, added fragrance or dye. A cotton wick is simple: it is easy to trim with ordinary scissors, it holds a steady flame at 0.5 to 1 cm, and it suits the slow burn of beeswax and soy. Wax and wick, nothing else.

Our candles are hand-poured and designed in the Netherlands, and every one comes with the same advice: trim, light, and give it time. You can read more about our materials on The Standard, or see the full range in The Collection.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a candle wick be?

Between 0.5 and 1 cm above the wax, measured before you light the candle.

Should you trim a candle wick before the first burn?

Check it before the first burn and trim it if it is longer than 1 cm. After that, trim it before every burn.

Can you trim a candle wick with scissors?

Yes. Small sharp scissors or a nail clipper work well, especially on a pillar candle, where the wick is easy to reach.

Why does my candle flame get so big?

Usually because the wick is too long. Put the candle out, let it cool and trim the wick to 0.5 to 1 cm before lighting it again.

How long can you burn a candle at once?

We recommend no more than four hours at a time, then letting the candle cool and trimming the wick before the next burn.