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Wax melts are simple, but four small mistakes account for most of the disappointment people have with them. Here is the whole process, and what to avoid.
What you need
- A wax melt
- A burner or electric warmer
- An unscented tealight, if your burner takes one
- A heat-resistant surface away from curtains, shelves and anything flammable
Step by step
- Place the burner on a stable, heat-resistant surface with clear space above it.
- Add the melt to the well. One standard melt, or half a melt for a small room. Do not fill the well more than about two-thirds.
- Light the tealight, or switch on the electric warmer.
- Wait twenty minutes. The wax needs to fully liquefy and reach temperature before it throws properly. Judging it at five minutes is the most common error.
- Extinguish and let it cool when you leave the room. Never leave a tealight burning unattended.
The four mistakes
Overfilling the well. Too much wax insulates itself and the surface never gets hot enough. Two-thirds maximum.
Judging it too early. Give it twenty minutes. Melts build slowly compared with a candle.
Standing in the room the whole time. Nose blindness sets in within fifteen minutes. Step out, come back, and you will smell it clearly.
Using a burner with the wrong well. A deep, narrow well releases slowly by design. If you want a strong throw you need a wide, shallow one — see strongest smelling wax melts.
How long a melt lasts
Roughly 8 to 12 hours of fragrance, spread over several sessions. The wax will still liquefy long after the scent has gone — replace it when it no longer smells of anything when hot. More on melt lifespan.
When it's spent
Let the wax cool and set hard, then press one edge of the disc with your thumb and it lifts out whole. Never pour molten wax down a drain. Full removal guide.
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