The citronella bucket on your patio table holds the same plant oils that the ASPCA's pet poison guidance tells dog owners to keep out of reach. Those oils are the reason the candle works on mosquitoes. They are also the reason your vet may ask about it if your dog starts coughing after a summer cookout.
What customers say on Google
View on Google
Most owners handle this by keeping the candle outside, and that instinct is a good one. Outdoor air carries vapor away faster than a closed room can. Your dog, though, spends the evening with their nose about a foot off the ground, right where smoke drifts and settles. Where the candle burns is only half the picture. What it is made of matters just as much, which is why every candle in our pure beeswax candle collection is poured from one wax with a wooden wick, so you know exactly what goes into the air around your dog.
Why "I only light it outside" still leaves a gap
Your worry is fair. Citronella oil comes from a tall grass, and plant oils sound gentle. It is easy to assume something natural can't hurt a dog. Research has shown otherwise.
The oil is rich in terpenes. Terpenes are the strong-smelling compounds plants make to drive insects away, and in citronella the main ones are citronellal and geraniol. They are built to irritate, which is exactly what makes a mosquito turn around.
A dog's nose holds far more scent receptors than yours. A smell you barely notice across the table can hit your dog hard. Studies have found that heavy exposure to strong oil vapor can irritate a dog's airways and make breathing harder.
Keeping the candle outdoors does lower the risk. Vets treat outdoor burning as the safest way to use citronella at all. The gap comes from the way outdoor air moves. A breeze shifts and the smoke settles low under the table. Your dog, meanwhile, picks the spot right beside your chair, which is often right beside the flame.
Watch for these signs after an evening outside with a citronella candle burning:
- Coughing or wheezing
- Watery eyes or a runny nose
- Fast breathing
- Vomiting or diarrhea, if your dog got into the wax
If your dog has a breathing condition such as chronic bronchitis, follow your vet's guidance before you burn any candle near them. That advice holds for every candle in this post.
So where does the risk actually come from? It reaches your dog in four ways, and most owners only guard against the first one.
Four ways a citronella candle reaches your dog
We ranked these from the one you already watch for to the one almost nobody checks. The last one explains why moving the candle outside never fully settled the question.
1. The open flame at tail height
Citronella buckets usually sit low, on a step or the edge of the deck. That puts the flame at the height of a wagging tail or a curious nose. A dog can burn a paw or tip the whole bucket over in one excited lap of the yard.
You probably already move the candle when your dog comes out. Keep doing that. It handles this risk well, and it leads straight to the next one.
2. The wax your dog wants to chew
Many citronella candles smell faintly sweet. To a dog, a soft block of wax on the lawn looks like something to taste. Swallowing wax, or the oil soaked into it, can upset a dog's stomach with vomiting and diarrhea.
In larger amounts, the oils can make a dog sluggish and unsteady. Terpenes can slow the nervous system, which is why a dog that ate a chunk of candle may seem dazed. A tipped bucket is the usual way this starts. Once the wax cools, it turns into a chew toy in seconds.
3. The smoke that settles downwind
Outdoor burning feels safe because the air is open. Smoke still follows the wind, and dogs tend to rest where the air is still, under a table or against a wall. If that spot sits downwind of the candle, your dog breathes the thickest part of the smoke for the whole evening.
This is the risk behind the cough that seems to come from nowhere. The fix is placement, and we cover it below. First, there is one more source, and it changes which candle you reach for.
4. The wax the citronella is poured in
Every citronella candle has two parts: the citronella oil and the wax that carries it. Owners look hard at the oil and almost never at the wax. Many citronella buckets sold for patios are poured in paraffin.
Paraffin starts as crude oil. Refineries heat the oil and split it into fuels, and a thick, waxy sludge is left over at the end. That sludge is bleached and sold as paraffin wax. Paraffin is petroleum waste, and it burns like it.
Research has shown that burning paraffin releases benzene and toluene. It also releases formaldehyde, along with black soot. So the smoke your dog breathes on a citronella night carries the terpenes from the oil plus the byproducts of the wax. You can control the wax completely.
Picture the evenings you actually want out there. The grill is cooling, the light is turning gold, and your dog is stretched out on the warm boards by your feet. What you want in that moment is the smell of a garden and a flame on the table you don't have to think about.
That is the evening we made our Touch Grass beeswax candle for. Its notes are Fig, Black currant, Galbanum, Coconut, Davana, Cedarwood, Amber, Orris, Tonka bean. Galbanum is a green plant resin, and with the fig it smells like split stems after rain. The candle is poured in 100% beeswax with a wooden wick and phthalate-free fragrance, so the wax adds no petroleum soot to the air your dog lies in.
So, are citronella candles safe for dogs?
By now you have probably worked it out. A citronella candle is an insect repellent shaped like a candle. Burned high up and upwind, it is a low risk for most healthy dogs. Burned on the ground downwind of your dog, it can irritate their airways, and a chewed candle can mean a call to the vet.
Labels that promise pet-safe citronella still carry the same oils, because the oils are the whole point. No wording on a label changes what citronellal does to a sensitive nose. If the candle repels bugs, it carries the compounds your dog reacts to.
The better setup splits the job in two. Let something built for bugs handle the mosquitoes, and let a clean candle handle the light and the scent. The flame on your table then carries no repellent oil and no paraffin, and your dog can stay at your feet while it burns safely above them.
That leaves one real decision: which wax goes on the table.
What each wax puts into the air around your dog
Once the bugs are handled separately, the wax is the biggest choice left. It sets the floor for everything else the candle releases.
Paraffin is the petroleum leftover described above. Soy is a step better, since it comes from soybeans. Many soy candles, though, are blended with paraffin and use toxic fragrance that may contain phthalates. Phthalates are chemicals added to make a scent cling longer, and they burn along with everything else.
Beeswax is made by honeybees as they build the comb, and it is a byproduct of honey production. It needs no chemical processing to become candle wax. It also has the highest melting point of the three, so it burns slower and lasts longer. Its light is the closest of any candle wax to natural sunlight, which is why it glows warm at dusk.
| Paraffin | Soy | MBur beeswax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wax source | Leftover from crude oil refining | Soybeans, often blended with paraffin | 100% beeswax, a single ingredient |
| Processing | Bleached and chemically treated | Hydrogenated | No chemical processing |
| Wick | Often cotton, some with metal cores | Usually cotton | Wooden, two on the 12 oz size |
| Burn behavior | Melts fast at a low temperature | Soft wax, melts fast | Highest melting point, slow even burn |
| Soot | Heavy black soot | Less, more when blended | Clean burn, very little soot |
| Fragrance | Often toxic fragrance with phthalates | Often toxic fragrance | Phthalate-free fragrance |
| Dye | Often chemical dye | Often chemical dye | No chemical dye |
| Where it is made | Mass produced | Varies | Hand poured in New York City |
If your patio is where friends gather, the scent question shifts a little. You want something guests notice when they sit down, warm enough to carry a long dinner outside. That is where our Room Service beeswax candle fits. Its notes are Saffron, White Tea, Purple Peonies, Orchid, Tobacco, Vanilla, Almond Milk, Tonka Bean, and it is our bestseller for the spaces where people host.
"I must say I was apprehensive at first... Once I lit it, however, I fell in love!" Breann B., on Room Service
Breann's experience matters on a patio. Beeswax holds its scent quietly in the jar and releases it once the wax melts. The fragrance comes from the burn itself, at the table, right where you sit.
The labels that tell you more than the word "natural"
The risk around dogs lives in specific ingredients. A candle that names them plainly is one you can trust near your dog, so the label is where you start.
The two you read on the label
Fragrance comes first. Toxic fragrance often contains phthalates and parabens, which are preservatives that keep the oil stable. Look for the words "phthalate-free" stated plainly, since a vague word like "fragrance" can hide both.
The wick comes second. Some wicks have a metal core to help them stand straight. That core heats inside the flame, and you have no way to see what it is made of. A wooden wick burns down with the wax and adds only wood.
The two you can see with your own eyes
Soot shows up as a black ring inside the jar or a smudge on the wall above it. Soot is unburned carbon, and petroleum wax leaves the most of it because it doesn't burn cleanly. A clean burn leaves the glass nearly clear.
Dye shows up as color. Bright green or deep red wax means added dye, and that dye burns along with the wax. Beeswax has its own soft color, so it needs none.
How to set up a patio that is safe for your dog
Put the pieces together and you get a short plan. The bugs get their own tools, and the candle has to pass four checks.
For the mosquitoes
- An oscillating fan aimed across your seating area. Mosquitoes are weak flyers, and a steady breeze keeps them away from you and your dog.
- A dog-specific insect repellent your vet approves. Never put human bug spray on your dog's coat, and never rub citronella oil into fur.
- Empty standing water. Buckets and plant saucers are where mosquitoes breed, so tip them out before evening.
For the candle
- 100% beeswax, with no paraffin blend
- A wooden wick with no metal core
- Phthalate-free fragrance
- No chemical dye
Every MBur candle passes all four. Each one is hand poured in New York City in 100% beeswax with a wooden wick, and the fragrance is phthalate-free. That makes the choice simple: you only need to pick the scent and the size that fit your patio.
Where to put the candle once it is lit
Placement is what turns a clean candle into a calm evening. These steps take a minute when you sit down.
- Set it upwind of where your dog rests. Check the breeze when you sit down and again after an hour, since evening wind often shifts.
- Keep it high. A table or a ledge works. A step or the lawn puts the flame at nose height.
- Trim the char off the wooden wick before each burn. A trimmed wick keeps the flame steady and low.
- Burn for about four hours at a stretch, then let it rest. Let the wax cool fully before you move the jar.
- Blow it out before you go inside. Even a quick trip to the kitchen is long enough for a curious dog.
If your dog breathes in heavy smoke, move them into fresh air right away. If they swallow wax or show any of the signs listed earlier, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
"But my dog has never gone near the candle"
That is good to hear, and it usually holds until the night it doesn't. A dropped burger or a squirrel under the deck changes a dog's habits fast. A candle up on the table and upwind covers the evening your dog surprises you.
"But our yard is big and windy"
Wind helps with smoke and pulls at an open flame. A candle in a heavy glass jar holds its flame far better than an open bucket. For a large, open patio, the 12 oz size with two wooden wicks melts a wider pool, so the scent reaches your chair while the jar stays well away from your dog.
"But I only have a small balcony"
For a small balcony, or a porch you use on weekends, the 5 oz size with one wooden wick is the right fit. It burns for 40 hours and fills a tight space from a high shelf, with no need to sit close to your dog.
Questions dog owners ask about candles outside
What happens if my dog eats part of a citronella candle?
Most dogs get an upset stomach, with vomiting or diarrhea. A larger amount can make a dog sluggish because of the oils. Call your vet or the ASPCA hotline right away. Going forward, keep any candle, including the ones in our beeswax candle collection, up high where your dog can't reach it.
Does the smell of citronella bother dogs?
It often does. Citronella is built to be harsh to insects, and a dog's nose is far more sensitive than yours. If you want the patio to smell like a garden instead, Touch Grass brings green fig and cedarwood with no repellent oil in it.
Can I burn a beeswax candle with my dog nearby?
Yes, with the same habits as any flame. Keep it high and upwind, and blow it out when you leave. If your dog has a breathing condition, follow your vet's guidance first. Every candle in our pure beeswax collection uses phthalate-free fragrance and a wooden wick.
Which scent should I light when friends come over for dinner outside?
Pick Room Service. It is our bestseller for hosting, with saffron and white tea up front and vanilla underneath, and it carries well across a table.
How long does a beeswax candle last on the patio?
The 12 oz size burns for 80+ hours and the 5 oz size for 40 hours. Beeswax has the highest melting point of any candle wax, so it burns slowly. Keep the jar out of strong gusts and it will last through many evenings outside.
The candle that belongs on your patio this summer
Citronella candles are low risk only when they sit high and upwind, because their oils and their paraffin are what reach your dog. Hand the mosquitoes to a fan and a vet-approved repellent. Then light a candle that adds no paraffin and no repellent oil to the air your dog breathes.
For a patio you sit on most evenings, choose the 12 oz Touch Grass, the 80-hour size with two wooden wicks, at $65. It smells like green fig and garden air, so it suits a yard where your dog is stretched out on the grass. The two wicks melt a wide pool quickly, so the scent reaches you while the jar stays on the table, well above your dog's nose.
"Candle burned slowly and was exactly the amount of hours the company said it would burn." Portia Darby
Warm evenings are already here, so order this week and it will be on your table for the next one.
Choose the 80-hour Touch Grass beeswax candle for your patio, because it is the candle you can light every evening with your dog resting at your feet.
Related reading
