| Candles are great fun to make and bring unbridled | | | | wax might fall from your hand, or you might bump |
| pleasure when lit. Making candles, however, is not | | | | into something or trip as you move the wax across |
| without dangers. Wax burns. It can burn you, or it | | | | the kitchen. |
| could cause a fire. In this article we will discuss the | | | | When you consider all the possible ways that an |
| dangers of candle wax, and steps you can take to | | | | accident can happen, then you can identify the |
| protect yourself from injury. | | | | safety precautions that you will need to take: First |
| With regard to making candles, you must always | | | | and foremost, ban and all children and pets from the |
| remember that candle wax is hot. Not only that, but | | | | work area. Put up physical gates if necessary. Next, |
| it is also sticky. If you get hot candle wax on your | | | | wear welder's gloves to protect your hands, and |
| skin, then it will stay there and continue to transfer | | | | wear a rubber apron that covers your entire front. |
| its heat to your skin until equilibrium is reached - that | | | | You should also wear safety glasses or a full face |
| is until the candle wax and your skin reach the same | | | | shield. Definitely do not make candles while barefoot |
| temperature. Ouch! | | | | or wearing sandals. In fact, you should be wearing a |
| You have to heat wax to near or above the boiling | | | | closed-toe shoe made of leather. (You would not |
| point of water (212 F or 100 C) for it to be thin | | | | want to wear cloth shoes, because the cloth would |
| enough to pour. Then you have to transfer the hot | | | | act as a wick, and would allow hot candle wax to |
| wax from its melting pot into the container or the | | | | soak through them right to your foot.) You will need |
| mold which you are going to use to make a candle. | | | | to have a clear path between the stove and your |
| Thinking about this process, several potential dangers | | | | table. No toys or brooms or sacks of potatoes that |
| come to mind. | | | | you could trip over. And no open drawers that you |
| You have to remove the wax from the melting pot | | | | could bump into. Avoid loose-fitting clothes that could |
| and then transfer the molten wax from the melting | | | | get snagged. Finally, don't allow anything to extend |
| pot to the final container or mold. Unless you have a | | | | off the counter or stove that you could bump into |
| room dedicated to candle making, you are probably | | | | and cause to crash to the floor - especially the candle |
| going to be doing all of this in your kitchen; you will | | | | wax melting pot! |
| most likely be moving the wax from the stove to a | | | | There's nothing quite like a homemade candle, and |
| table. This process could cause several problems. | | | | the process of making your own candles can be |
| Molten wax that splashes or gets spilled could come | | | | quite rewarding. If you make safety a habit, then |
| in contact with the front of your body, including your | | | | you will be free to enjoy the pleasurable aspects of |
| face; or with your hands or feet. The container of | | | | this hobby. |