A Cleaner Candle
December 10, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/janiejonesmt
As we light candles in our homes this season to enhance the holiday aura, we might want to take a little caution, not just with the burning flame but with the wax.
New soy wax candles are hitting the market with many advantages over traditional paraffin wax candles.
To start with paraffin is a petroleum-based product and while not drastically detrimental to one’s health, the burning petroleum wax does create carcinogens adding to indoor air pollution. Soy wax, on the other hand is non-toxic and burns cleaner without leaving behind the black soot that candles can leave on candle holders, walls and furniture.
Second, soy wax is reported to burn 30 to 50 percent longer than paraffin.
Third, and a quite appealing characteristic, is that soy wax is water soluble, meaning when you accidentally drip candle wax on your Christmas table cloth or your couch cushion, it can be cleaned out relatively easily.
Lastly, soy is a renewable resource, whereas, as we all know, petroleum is not. So, next time you shop for candles, consider soy. (They can be difficult to find in some stores, but are very easy to find online.)
Krista Franks is a writer and artist who grew up in Fayette County, Ga. She attended the University of Georgia where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fabric Design, a Bachelor of Arts in Journalsim and a minor in Spanish. Her hobbies include painting, drawing, sewing, knitting, reading and dreaming. An admirer of art, nature and literature, she finds beauty in every day moments and hope in the passionate spirits of those around her.