This Kitchen Staple Is All You Need to Fix an Unevenly Burning Candle

If you’re a fan of burning candles, you probably know that they require some level of maintenance to keep them looking great and burning efficiently. Luxury candle brand Aerangis shared a two-second hack to prevent the wax from “tunneling” as you burn it, and all it requires is a little aluminum foil.

The company shared the simple tip in a recent video, showing off a candle that had been blown out too quickly, causing the wax to pool at the top in the center of the canister. The simple fix involves trimming the wick first. “Let’s get rid of that debris,” they said.

“Next, light your candle. Now, foil is going to be your best friend here. Wrap your candle in foil, creating a tent high enough, and leave an opening for the flame. After one to two hours, the wax should have liquefied evenly. Now just blow it out and let it cool. And just like that: a perfectly smooth candle.”

Of course, as with any open flame situation, you’ll want to be extra careful and precise when you’re lighting or burning your candle, especially when placing aluminum foil around it. But the tip should help prevent the dreaded tunneling that keeps your candle collection from looking its best, and it won’t require using a butter knife to carve out the wax. No mess, no fuss — just a clean, smooth burn.

Other social media users have given the hack two thumbs up, with one person explaining how they think it might work. The foil “reflects some of the heat back down at the unmelted parts,” guessed one commenter, which certainly does make sense. Either way, it’s worth giving it a shot to see. There’s no harm in trying it — even if it doesn’t completely alleviate the issue (although it seems like it should). Who knew?