Wick
Why do candle wicks mushroom?
A mushroom is carbon that builds up on the wick tip. A very firm wick, an untrimmed tip and an excessive load are common causes. Trim ~5 mm every burn; if it persists, lower the size.
What you see
A lump at the base of the flame, soot and an unstable flame. On a wooden wick, a charred tip is a defect from the same family; model/mm are not confused with cotton wick size.
Production
A wick too thick for the inner diameter draws too much fuel. When the fragrance exceeds the oil saturation (~8% in soy), the wick clogs. Dye and vanillin scents can increase the lump. If you see a mushroom in a burn test, try one size thinner.
Use
Remove the tip before burning. Do not burn more than 4 hours in one go. Cut the draft. A warning on a retail candle saying trim the wick before burning saves the customer.
FAQs
Is a mushroom dangerous?
A large lump inflates the flame and produces soot and glass heat. Extinguish and cool, trim the tip, and burn again.
Can a wooden wick mushroom?
A charred tip builds up. Trim it every burn; if the model is wide, switch to a thinner wooden wick.
Choose Materials From Stock
You can order the product groups in this guide by quantity from the Rufus Concept catalog.