Ideally, your candles should remain at a temperature between 50 °F (10 °C) and 85 °F (29 °C) while they’re in storage. When bringing home a new haul or transporting your candles to another place, be careful not to leave them in your vehicle for too long, particularly if it’s hot outside.
Some candles might look appetizing to curious young children and animals. It’s also possible for older children to start accidental fires by lighting candles that have been stored with or near lighters or matches. Most candles are non-toxic. If ingested in large enough quantities, however, the wax used to make them can still pose significant health risks, such as intestinal blockage or allergic reaction. [3] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
This also goes for other kinds of harsh light, such as desk lamps and spotlights. [5] X Research source
It’s perfectly fine to stick a candle or two at the back of the fridge if you’re hard up for space elsewhere. The only time you should put a candle in the freezer is if you’re deliberately trying to break up the wax so you can reuse the jar for another purpose. [7] X Research source
You can buy metal storage boxes in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and styles online or at home goods stores, often for less than $10 per unit.
Plastic storage containers are also usually made of strong stuff, though they may be vulnerable to melting if the surrounding temperature gets too high. [10] X Research source For added safety, double-up your storage security by placing your candles in a small container, then fitting that container inside a second, larger one.
Restaurants, bookstores, coffee shops, schools, and liquor stores can be great places to scavenge for free cardboard boxes. [12] X Research source Shoeboxes offer a perfect balance of capacity and compactness—they can be used to hold a few large candles or lots of little ones.
If you’re looking for a more economical alternative, an old egg carton or ice cube tray can also serve the same function at no additional cost. This is also a good way to store wax melts, vent sticks, and other wax-based air fresheners.
Putting your favorite candles on display when you’re not using them will also make you less likely to misplace them. Candles often work just as well as decorations as they do mood-enhancers.
If you want to keep your jar or tumbler candles together while also being able to tote them from place to place, group them side-by-side in a large box or basket. Mason jar lids can make excellent makeshift candle covers if you’ve lost some of your original lids.
It’s especially important for your candles to be resting nice and flat if they’re in a place where they might experience drastic changes in temperature, or if you’re putting them away shortly after burning them. Votive, decorative, and scented candles that are missing their original containers also stack well.
Keep in mind that tissue paper is itself flammable, so you’ll need to be extra careful about where and how you store your candles once you’ve wrapped them up. Avoid stacking or piling long taper candles. Since their shape makes them somewhat fragile, this can increase their chances of breaking.
The longer scented candles stay exposed to air and environmental moisture, they faster they’ll dry out and lose their fragrance.
