Candle Tunneling Fixes

Tunneling = when your candle burns a hole down the middle, leaving wax on the sides. Good news: you can fix it and prevent it next time.

First, Why Does Tunneling Happens

  • Short first burn: you didn’t reach a full melt pool (wax liquefied edge-to-edge).
  • Drafts or fans: uneven heat pulls the flame to one side.
  • Wick too long or too short: both can cause uneven burn behavior.

Prevention (Do This on the First Burn)

  1. Burn long enough. Let the wax melt to the edges (typically 2–3 hours for jars; less for tins).
  2. Trim wick to ¼″ before lighting (see our Wick Trimming Guide).
  3. Avoid drafts. Keep away from open windows, vents, and fans.
  4. Burn on a flat, heat-safe surface. Steady base = even pool.

Already Tunneling? Try These Fixes

1) The Foil Hug (Quick Reset)

  1. Trim wick to ¼″ and light.
  2. Wrap a loose “collar” of foil around the rim, leaving the center open.
  3. Let it burn for 30–60 minutes. The foil reflects heat to soften high edges.

2) Guided Burn

  1. Relight with wick at ¼″.
  2. Burn long enough to reach the jar edges—be patient this time.
  3. Repeat over a couple of sessions until the surface levels out.

3) Careful Surface Level (For Stubborn Cases)

Once cooled and safe, you can carefully remove excess unmelted rim wax with a clean tool, then follow with a proper guided burn to re-establish the melt pool.

Pro Tips

  • Short sessions (under 1 hour) encourage tunneling—give your candle some quality time.
  • Rotate the candle 90° between sessions if your room has a consistent draft.
  • If you see soot on the glass, trim the wick and check for drafts.

Wick Trimming Guide →  |  Candle Safety Guidelines →

For quick candle care tips, see our Candle Care Hub.