| Using wax or paraffin candles for home decoration | | | | burn a hole in a tabletop cover or the flooring. |
| adds an exciting touch to most rooms of any house. | | | | 3. Keep candles out of the reach of pets and children. |
| Available in many attractive styles, colors, and designs, | | | | Obviously, lit candles pose a danger to grasping fingers |
| candles serve a number of important functions by | | | | of toddlers. Even unlit candles, however, may tempt |
| adding beauty, fragrance, and comfort to our dwellings | | | | older children to find matches or a lighter and burn the |
| and even some offices. Yet, like anything else, candles | | | | candles for their own use. If the candles are used as |
| can bring along some unwanted baggage when we | | | | decorator pieces, make sure the kids know never to |
| buy them for home use. Here are a few safety tips to | | | | light them. |
| keep in mind when lighting up a candle or two for that | | | | 4. Don't burn too many at one time. Although romantic |
| special occasion. | | | | images of candle-laced bedrooms or candle-adorned |
| 1. Buy candles without lead wicks. Many commercial | | | | bathtubs may encourage our use of dozens of lovely |
| candles are made with a lead wire wick that burns | | | | candles on a single occasion, this can be dangerous, |
| when the candle is lit. But the smoke from combustible | | | | since one person may not be able to watch all at once |
| lead can be toxic, especially if an area's inhabitants are | | | | prevent sputtering or spreading if one should pop. |
| frequently exposed to it. One or more recent studies | | | | 5. Make sure to extinguish each candle carefully. Get a |
| have shown that Catholic clergy who work with | | | | bell-shaped extinguisher with a long handle to perform |
| candles as part of a worship service sometimes | | | | this function, which reduces the amount of residual |
| experience health problems from too much lead | | | | smoke that can linger after blowing them out. Check |
| exposure. Look for candles that have thread wicks | | | | the wick to be sure no glowing spots remain. If the |
| that are non-toxic for burning. Of course, it won't | | | | candle comes with a cover, you may want to replace |
| matter if your candles are for decorating only without | | | | it as an extra security measure. |
| being lit. | | | | Place scented candles in the bathroom to eliminate |
| 2. Never leave burning candles unattended. Make sure | | | | odors, or try romantic designs in the bedroom. |
| an adult is in the room at all times to monitor a candle's | | | | Functional candles should be kept on hand in case of |
| flame. A breeze from an open window, an accidental | | | | electrical outages. These useful products continue to |
| brush of a pet's tail, or other unexpected occurrences | | | | play a significant role in everyday life, so use yours |
| may let the flame catch nearby surfaces and cause a | | | | with caution and enjoy them to the max. |
| fire. Even sputtering wax can pop, and although rare, | | | | |