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Do wood wicks burn clean?

You love the sound. You love the unique, dancing flame. But a question might linger in the back of your mind. With all that crackling, do wood wicks actually burn clean?

It is a smart question to ask. After all, the whole point of choosing a [high-quality candle] is to create a beautiful, healthy atmosphere in your home, not to fill it with smoke or soot.

The answer is a resounding yes, if you have the right kind of wood wick and you care for it properly. A high quality, natural wood wick is one of the cleanest burning wicks available. At MBur Candle Co., "clean" is our guiding principle. It is why we chose our wicks just as carefully as we chose our wax.

 

The Material Matters: Natural and Untreated

 

The most important factor for a clean burn is the wick's material. Our wicks are sourced from sustainable mills in the USA. They are 100% all natural, untreated wood.

Room Service Candle - MBur Candle Co.Room Service beeswax candle size guide comparing 40 and 80 hour
Room Service Candle
$65.00
See all candles

This is a key distinction. There are no chemicals, no accelerants, and no hidden additives. You are burning pure wood. This is different from some low quality cotton wicks that may be bleached or treated with chemicals to alter how they burn. Our wicks are as clean and natural as the wood on a tree.

 

The Fuel Source: Pairing with a Clean Wax

 

A wick cannot burn cleanly if its fuel is dirty. The reason our wood wicks perform so flawlessly is because they are paired with 100% pure beeswax. This is the cleanest fuel a candle can have.

Because beeswax is so pure, it allows for a very complete and efficient combustion at the wick. This means there is very little unburned carbon left over to escape as soot or smoke. The wick and the wax work together in a beautiful, symbiotic relationship to create a pure and clean flame.

Wine Down beeswax candle with wooden wicks in frosted glassFragrance notes pyramid infographic with lavender, herbs and cedar
Wine Down Candle
$65.00
See all candles

 

The User's Role: The Importance of a Proper Trim

 

If you ever see a bit of smoke or soot coming from your wood wick candle, the cause is almost always the same. The wick needs to be trimmed.

As we covered in our [guide to the wick trimmer], before every single burn, you must gently pinch off the ashy, burnt part of the wick. This "trim" removes the old, used fuel from the tip and allows the flame to have a fresh, clean surface to burn from. An untrimmed wick is too long, which creates an inefficient flame that can produce soot. A ten second trim is the secret to a perfectly clean burn, every time.


 

Sunday Reset beeswax candle with wooden wicks in frosted glassInfographic comparing beeswax versus paraffin candles
Sunday Reset Candle
$65.00
See all candles

 

The Verdict

 

So, do wood wicks burn clean? Absolutely. When you combine a high quality, all natural wood wick with a pure, clean burning fuel like beeswax, and you practice proper wick care, you get one of the cleanest, most beautiful burns possible.

It is this complete system, the synergy between our materials and the education we provide, that fulfills the MBur Candle Co. promise. A truly clean, beautiful, and multi sensory experience for your home.

Ready to experience a truly clean flame? Discover the MBur Candle Co. collection.

[Shop the Collection]

Browse the full collection of 100% beeswax candles.

Shop our candles

Room Service Candle - MBur Candle Co.Room Service beeswax candle size guide comparing 40 and 80 hour
Room Service Candle
$32.00
Adi Candle - MBur Candle Co.Infographic comparing 40 and 80 hour Adi beeswax candle sizes
Adi Candle
$32.00
Retail Therapy Candle - MBur Candle Co.Perfumer fragrance pyramid infographic with fruit and spice notes
Retail Therapy Candle
$32.00
Wine Down beeswax candle with wooden wicks in frosted glassFragrance notes pyramid infographic with lavender, herbs and cedar
Wine Down Candle
$32.00
Do Not Disturb Candle - MBur Candle Co.An infographic diagram titled 'Perfumer-composed fragrance' showing a pyramid with three labeled sections: Top Notes, Heart Notes, and Base Notes. The top note layer is peach with pear and peach blossom imagery; the middle layer is pink with white flowers and amber imagery; the bottom layer is very dark brown with vanilla and wood imagery.
Do Not Disturb Candle
$32.00
Zesty Candle - MBur Candle Co.Pink wax-sealed envelope in pink tissue gift packaging
Zesty Candle
$32.00
People Watching beeswax candle with wooden wick in frosted glassInfographic comparing clean-burning beeswax candle to sooty paraffin candle
People Watching Candle
$32.00
Just to Clarify Candle - MBur Candle Co.Brand story graphic: Melissa makes clean beeswax candles, lit Just To Clarify candle
Just to Clarify Candle
$32.00
Sunday Reset beeswax candle with wooden wicks in frosted glassInfographic comparing beeswax versus paraffin candles
Sunday Reset Candle
$32.00
Touch Grass Candle - MBur Candle Co.Do Not Disturb beeswax candle on honeycomb with satisfaction guarantee graphic
Touch Grass Candle
$32.00
Slice of Life Candle - MBur Candle Co.Lit beeswax candle with crackling wooden wick in frosted glass
Slice of Life Candle
$32.00
Out of Office Candle - MBur Candle Co.Lit Out of Office beeswax candle with wooden wick on rattan
Out of Office Candle
$32.00
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