How to Fix Candle Tunneling (5 Simple and Effective Ways)

May 28, 2020 Lumi candle tips
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It is admittedly one of the most annoying sights to see when your candle starts tunneling. A total nuisance! Especially when you've invested good money for your favorite candles just to find them turning ugly and getting wasted. 🕯️ Unfortunately, this happens to any candles regardless of the price.


Time to stop missing out on your candles' full potential! Here are 5 simple and effective ways to fix it:

How to Fix Candle Tunneling

1. Use your handy hairdryer.

  • Turn your hairdryer on to the "Hot" or "Heating" option.
  • Direct the hot air towards the uneven sides of your candle.
  • Workaround this portion of uneven wax to spread it evenly.
  • Keep at it for a minute or two depending on the heat from your blower.

    • a hairdryer
    NOTE: Avoid pointing your blower to only one section for too long because you might burn the candle wick from prolonged overexposure to heat.

    2. Wrap an aluminum foil around your candle's vessel (The Foil Method).

  • Cut the appropriate amount of aluminum foil to completely cover the top of your candle jar
  • Wrap this tightly around your candle jar
  • Light your candle and allow the heat to spread
  • Aluminum foil will retain the heat inside longer and give enough time for the sides to melt

    • aluminum foil wrapped around a candle's vessel

    3. Pop it into the oven for 2 minutes.

  • Set your oven at around 80 Degrees Celsius / 175 Fahrenheit.
  • Heat for 2 minutes.
  • It will evenly melt the top of your candles giving it a smooth and even finish.

    • scented candle put into the oven
    NOTE: DO NOT put your candles inside a microwave oven! Candles usually have metal wick butts that can be dangerous when put inside a microwave oven.

    4. Get a candle topper.

    A candle topper is a nice accessory that typically works like TIP 2 - The Foil Method. It serves as an insulator to keep the heat equally distributed for the wax to melt all the way to the edge.

    a candle topper

    5. Move the flame of your candle around.

  • Hold the container and tilt it to the uneven part of the candle
  • Intentionally melt the wax of your candles.

    • scented soy candle lit up
    It's better to prevent these things before it actually happens. There are 3 simple tips to avoid candle tunneling when you light your first scented soy candle (LUMI).

    How to Avoid Candles from Tunneling

    1. Leave your candles lit up for a minimum of two hours every time you light them up

    Let your candles burn 1-hour for every inch in diameter for easy trimming!

    2. Let your candles create a wax pool

    Allow your candles to heat up until the wax is melted all the way across the edge of their containers. This creates a flat surface on the top layer.

    3. Place your candles away from fans or where the air is blowing

    The flame should be staying still and pointed upwards to ensure even heat distribution and melting!

    By the way, if you want to have a look at our scented soy candles (LUMIs), you can check our full collection.

      Frequently Asked Questions

      1. Can you microwave a candle to fix tunneling?

        • No. Candles usually have metal wick butts that can be dangerous when put inside a microwave oven.

        1. Why does my candle not burn evenly?

          • The heat is generated from the middle so that is the area that would burn faster. Ensure that you burn your candle for 3-4 hours so the heat can spread through the entire candle surface.

          1. How do I get my candle to burn evenly?

            • You can use a candle topper.

            • The simplest way is really to let your candle burn for 3-4 hours at a time.

          2. Why do I get sinkholes in my candles?

            • Sinkholes occur when the wax cools much too quickly. Two things can cause this

            • You poured the hot candle wax into a cool container
            • You poured the candle wax too hot and it didn’t cool enough.
          Got a question? Send us an email anytime at cozy@lumicandlesph.com
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          Comments 1

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