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CANDLES: An Unlikely INDOOR AIR QUALITY VILLAIN

This time of year, I had candles burning all the time...until I learned this.

In addition to cigarette smoking, candles provide another indoor pollution mechanism that is hard to replicate.

Most commercially sold candles are made from Paraffin (petroleum based) and emit toxins and carcinogens like benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein and soot into the air.

The ‘bargain' candles produced both here and overseas are even more dangerous.

We would not consider burning a diesel engine in our living room, but Paraffin candles emit many of these same dangerous particulates. Gel candles are also petroleum-based, and therefore just as polluting.

If ambiance is your middle name, then candles are probably your best friends.

However, the only good options are made from either Soy

http://www.soy-wax-candles.com/why-soy.html

...or Beeswax http://www.candlebeefarm.com/

Of course, anything you burn will create smoke, but burning soy and beeswax does not emit those same toxic chemicals.

Real soy and beeswax candles should be clearly marked but exercise caution. Some manufacturers destroy the benefits of beeswax and soy by adding... you guessed it... petroleum-based Paraffin.

It is also important to buy candles with a cotton or paper wick. Shiny wire wicks can contain metals like zinc and lead.

One alternative to burning the high-polluting aromatic and scented candles

... is to create a ‘scented soup'.

Bring a few cups of water in a saucepan to a mild simmer, uncovered.

Add a tablespoon of cinnamon,

...a teaspoon of whole cloves, a teaspoon of vanilla,

...some orange peel

Or any other aromatic spice you particularly like. After an hour or so last night's fish dinner will be nothing more than a memory.

Breathe easy and enjoy life all you can.

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Posted by Lesley Burton-Dallas on 01/07/2010 07:21 PM

Comments (80)

Indoor Air Quality in the ActiveRain Channel

indoor air quality, candles, mold testers connecticut

Originally posted at: Lesley's Thoughts on INDOOR AIR QUALITY, MOLD, MOLD TESTING, RADON, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, SUSTAINABLE BUILDING.....: CANDLES: An Unlikely INDOOR AIR QUALITY VILLAIN

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80 Comments on CANDLES: An Unlikely INDOOR AIR QUALITY VILLAIN

JAN

2010

I had no idea that there were such toxins in candles. I rarely burn them myself, but this gives me a good reason to get them completely out of the house.

JAN

2010

Good for you for posting this. Those nice smelling candles put microscopic particles in the area that are breathed in by anyone round, including children.

I've been ranting about these dang things for years. Glad someone else had the thought to write about it.

I'm not going to sit in a room with those nasty things burning. I had to request that a builder's model home agent extinguish 4 candles in the show room office. They thought I was insane, but I don't care what they think. I'm not going to sit in a room full of tobacco smoke or candle pollution.

Lesley, great information and I appreciate the full explanation which justifies the price of soy and beeswax candles. I've used the "soup" idea for years, especially because of food odors! Great post!

wow - who knew? and here i thought i was contributing to my attempt to live a healthy lifestyle by using candles to ease stress! didn't know i was poisoning myself!

I had no idea either that candles were made with so many toxins in them. I love the smell of candles. Your scented soup is great, I have made it before. I will pass this information on. Thank you for such a good informative post.

Lesley,

And candles seem so innocent looking. I wonder if the government is going to have to regulate now.

Rich

Just like dessert. Looks so good but at the end it is so bad for your

Tony

As much as I enjoy burning scented candles, I also worried about the toxins they release.

Thanks for providing some alternative ideas!

What a shame. Candles are so relaxing and a stress reliever. Toxins not good - but stress kills too. Everyday there seems to be a new choice to make. This is good information, though, I didn't realize the health hazard candles can create.

Interesting post-I didn't know (as apparently so many others) either that candles emitted toxins. Think I'll try the soup idea. What about burning those little oils?

The soy candle industry has gone crazy! It is nice to know that we have options as 'well-informed' consumers!! Thanks for posting!

Some great thoughts. Most people do not consider what something as simple as a candle can do to air quality. I am wondering what the long term effects of the air freshener craze is going to do to the respiratory health of people. It seems that to some it becomes an obsession.

I do so love the smells of a nice candle but we dont burn them much. This is the exact reason you can tell they put out soot.

Great reminder of yet another source of indoor pollution. People love candles. Maybe we should give soy or beeswax candles as gifts to educate our customers and friends about the toxins in typical candles.

Hi everyone!!!!

I'm so happy when I post something that seems to help!!!

Those little essential oils are a good alternative, except be careful! The ones made overseas need to be checked for ingredients as well...

Air fresheners like glade etc.. just cover up odors and are FILLED with volotile organic compounds... I literally get sick if someone sprays that stuff around me!

Clean air DOESN'T have a smell!

Love you guys! And thanks for all your nice comments!

When I inspect a house for a home buyer often I can see evidence of candle buring such as soot or stains in the corners or at the return air registers.

nice post.

Lesley, it is frightening, isn't it? I used to love burning candles but kept having allergy attacks. My ENT asked me about candles -- and I had to stop immediately!!!!

Thanks for the information!!!

Who knew? It seems obvious when you think about it but who has ever given it much consideration. Thanks for posting.

Great topic for this time of year. I hate it when people try to cover over the smell and odors with the use of candles and other stupid "tricks". Here's a link to a video about candles and house fires:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/23/earlyshow/living/home/main2387597.shtml

I love candles! Especially while getting a massage! I had no idea about the toxins. Thanks for this good information. I will be passing this along.

I once had an air freshner in my car (made by a well known candle company that I won't mention here). The Texas heat got to it and it dripped the oil on my dashboard. Took the finish off the a/c vent. Yea, I don't want to breathe that stuff.

I have terrible allergies and hate going into homes that have candles burning. I always leave with respiratory problems and a headache. Soy and beeswax candles do make nice additions to your home, if you must have a candle. As others have said, I too can tell when there have been candles used to remove evidence of a smoker or even pet odors. WHO ARE THEY FOOLING!!!

ALWAYS be aware of where you have them. I have a friend that came real close to burning her home down with a candle in a bathroom that was too close to the towel. Luckly, she smelled the evidence and was able to get it out without much damage. Her had took the brunt of the deal with wax burning the skin.

Thanks for the post. Great reminder as we begin the new year.

Like others I had no idea. I am not big on candles and do not use them in listings, but may get rid of the house ones now. Good to know there are always alternatives - love the soup!

First time I have read a candle post. We always use soy or beeswax candles. They are expensive, but Charlene and i have a different idea about what is luxury, so a $40 candle for us is normal.

Lesley - Thanks so much for the warning. I like to burn candles but will be more cautious now!

I did not know this about candles, thanks for the post. You also need to be very careful with candles if you use them because a lot of fires are started by candles. I have a friend who manufactures candles in Denver and makes soy candles - http://www.rosyrings.com/

WOW I didn't know about it! Thanks for sharing.

Never heard that before, crazy. But makes sense.

Well, dang. Truthfully, I think our entire world is poison. Another one bites the dust.

I am not a fan of candles. (I'm afraid I will catch the house of fire) My hair salon burned candles constantly and the carbon monoxide stains around pictures on the wall and in corners were very evident. Once the owner of the salon repainted, and realized how much carbon was being emitted into the air, she rethought the candle thing. I personally like the Claire Burke outlet plug-ins. One plug-in is very effective in a vacant house. Many delicious scents availlable too!

Well phooey, another of life's pleasures discovered to be bad for me. I love to put bunches of candles around my big tub and soak and feel pampered. Now I'll have to think of something else. It's not fair, I've already given up chocolate (allergic) smoking, (we all know how bad that is) and wine (migraines). This is getting ridiculous!

Wow. I thought the worst dangers of candles were the fire hazard aspect and the soot mark aspect.

A few years ago I noticed strange black lines on the cathedral ceiling in my living room. After having various people come to check it out, it was deduced that it was from candles! So after it got painted the next time I severely cut down on their use. I also have received soy candles as gifts & they don't leave the black marks.

Thanks for the informative post!

This is what happens if you burn the candles at both ends. Sorry to wax on like this, but I had a burning desire to be heard today!

AS a part time candle maker- here's my two cents worth: It's more how they are made, than what they are made from, that makes the difference, A well made candle of ANY wax puts very little byproducts into the air.

The ones to stay away from are the ones that put a heavy, waxy scent into the air. That comes from additives to the wax- it makes me feel like I'm choking, like I can't breathe right, and I've talked to many people who feel the same way. It ISN"T the wax producing that- it is the additives. So if you love candles, try to find a good handmade version where the candles maker uses very little additive, and where they know to match the size of the wick to the size of the candle. A well made candle should neither produce black soot (too big a wick) nor drown out (too small a wick).

A well made canle, from any wax, will burn clean and not harm you. A poorly made candle, even from beeswax or soy, MIGHT.

When going into a home that has these offending smells it is hard to stay inside.

How many listings have you walked into where sellers had candles burning? They probably lit them more for the ambience and setting than anything else, but I always worry about them getting knocked over or something catching on fire when showing a home. Please don't light up your listings for showings!

Great advice about the types of candles that are better to use. I always think that a seller is trying to cover up other odors when I walk into a listing and a candle is burning. Thanks.

Guess that settles it--we're all going to die.

Candles usually make me feel ill. Now I know why. I'm going to print your blog and give it to my sister, who loves burning candles.

Shocking! The little innocent pleasure of burning candles (and for heavens sakes, maybe even incense-or what is the verdict on that?) is bad for us! I had absolutely NO idea!

Another good reason to be reading AR, you learn new things all the time.

Thanks for the post Lesley this is something i totally would never had thought of if you did not mention it. Thanks for the great info

I love your scented soap idea and the only candles I use now are the battery operated ones....I love them and you don't have to worry about gases or fires.

Great information

It's true. I had Christmas candles out two years ago, and an indoor rabbit/pet, Honey Rabbit chewed the base of one of the candles, and developed breathing problems, and soon thereafter . . . passed away. True. My 105 lb. German Shepard and 75 lb. Chow mix didn't bother the rabbit. It was the candle.

Not to mention candles also can leave dark charcoal like marks on the walls and ceilings over time.

Thanks for bringing this to "light" - pun intended!

I watched Food Inc. last night, I can't take it anymore! Everything is bad!

This is so good to know...thank you very much. After thinking about it, it makes sense that there are petroleum based chemicals in candles just as there are in most moisturizers and sunblocks which are
very toxic because they get into the body through the skin (transdermally) and the body has no way of dealing with it.

Oh my gosh - I had no idea! Thanks so much for the tip. I'll try your on the stove idea rather than burn another candle!

Lesley, I wonder if the particles per million of the bad stuff is insignificant and then this would be much ado about nothing.

I wonder as well about what Gary Woltal has to say above. I love candels, it's sets a calming atmosphere and yes they can smell wonderful as well. Everything in moderation I think....and they'll do just fine.

Patricia/ Seacoast NH

Thanks Lesley for educating and reminding us of the potential dangers of candles. It seems in the last 5 years or so there has been a huge increase in the fad of scented candles. As nice as they look and smell I think most overlook the safety hazards that accompany them.

Well, I gotta tell ya! No matter what day it is, there is something out there that is reported as bad and it's gonna kill us. So, I have quit listening to it all. I'm gonna die someday. At least I'm gonna be happy while I'm here. However, candles always smell good in the store, but once you bring them home and light them, they aren't that great. And when you blow them out, P-U they stink.

Lesley, who would have guessed such a small thing could potentially be a health hazard, I hope I don't loose power because that is the only time I light candles.

I wonder if in the end, it is a trade off between the positive chemicals issued by a body/mind experiencing

the so-called benefitis of a candle-lit tranquil, romantic, soothing setting or the ingestion of the chemicals they apparently emit. Hmmmm......there might be more to consider here.

Looks like there is one more thing to add to the list of items that are bad for our health!

I wonder what kind of candles are being burnt in churches... I hope they are Soy-based!!!

So like chocolate, it's bad for me and I still like it. You can't make me stop. LOL

You know I've always thought it was better to bake cookies to get my house to smell like baked cookies rather than burn a "cookies" candle. :) Great information, because so many agents will recommend candles.

I'm bummed. I love burning candles. I will definitely have to take note on the do's and don'ts of candle burning.

Great idea! My g.f is a yankee candle nut. I'm gonna have to check to see what yankee candle uses. There are enough pollutants outside. I don't need anymore inside of my home!

Lesley,

This is something I never considered in more than six decades. Makes sense, though.

Mike in Tucson

Thats nuts! I never heard of such a thing, I wonder how high the levels of these toxins are?

JAN

2010

Okay, I'm struggling with this information. I LOVE candles, the atmosphere it sets, and of course the smell, WOW. To change or not to change!! Thank you so much for the information.

Fontella Pappas

Thanks SOOO MUCH again for everyone's comments!

I'm happy I was able to bring things to 'light' as Bridget said!

But please forgive me for freaking anyone out...like I've said before, my friends and family won't talk to me anymore!!!lol

Again, use candles in moderation and stay vigilant by reading ingredients! You get what you pay for apparently.

On a different subject, do any of you guys ever have problems with cat urine/cigarrette odors???

I can help you fix that if you want!!! Let me know!

Soy or beeswax are how I roll.

I love candles, but you are so right.

Also the problem of 'ghosting' happens more with the cheapie candles...great post!

Lesley,

Thanks for posting this information. Indoor Air Quality is so important for our health. Many people do not realize that many of our illnesses are caused from poor air quality in our homes.

As others have already pointed out, many people have allergies that burning candles can aggravate. I would like to point out, that although soy candles are a good alternative, many people are sensitive to soy products. I have a relative that is hyper-allergic to soy. So use caution if expecting visitors.

As a Professional Home Inspector, I would like to offer this tip. If you are selling your home, please do not go overkill when using candles, air freshners or cleaning products. Other than the odors being offensive to some potential buyers, a good home inspector looks at this as a red flag. Whenever I enter a home, and am overwhelmed with unnatural odors, my first thought is "what are they trying to hide"? Burning candles can cause a condition called "ghosting", causing stains on walls and ceilings. Smoking contributes to ghosting. If there are causes of odors in the home, example pet urine, cigarette smoke, mildew, etc., correct the issue. Have the carpets/walls etc. professionally cleaned. Don't try to cover it up. The "pleasant" smells may help you get an offer on the home, but later as the freshners dissipate, the problem will become evident, and you could be placed in a precarious situation. As another above stated: a clean home has no odors.

Great Info, for many like my husband even the fragrance is toxic. Many people do not realize that the colds they suffer from are actually an allergic response to the "smell good" things in their life.

Did you ever see the black residue near the wall or ceiling when burning candles often? Gross.

Also some people are allergic to scented candles.

Lesley - I've never given much thought to candle toxins before, but now I'm really glad I don't burn them.

Thanks for that information. That explains why the room in our home used by the previous owner as a massage / aroma therapy room had a gray ceiling instead of a white one. ugh!

Crum! I burn candles all the time. I know I have several soy based ones... Thanks for the post. I will check the "ingredients" next time I buy.

My goodness, everything can kill you if it is used wrong. Of all the problems we have in the world, I doubt very highly that candles in a home will greatly affect our lifespans. Here in the US we fret over child seats, venetian blind cords, seat belts, cell phone caused brain cancer, irradiated food, and everything else we can use to scare each other. I am not surprised there is not a study on the chlorine gas released from our toliet bowls, not to mention the methane I guess. Seems like we Americans have become scared of our own shadows lately. Here we have crooks going around scaring the 55+ residents by telling them there is a trace amount of arsenic in the county water. So of course, they offer to sell them a nice $7,000 water system to get rid of it, supposedly. Shameful.

I recently read a study by a well-known university that said the reason our young are so vulnerable to swine flu, asthma, peanuts, etc is because we started running around sterilizing everything the kids came into contact with. Many of use had the chickenpox, measles, mumps, etc and to add to that we are old. Yet we are not in a priority group for swine flu. Maybe too much protection is not a good thing. And it is a well proven fact that worry and anxiety definitely have negative health effects. Wish we just for a day stop coming up with something else to scare the public with.

However, while we fret over these least of issues, there are literally millions dying worldwide from gennocide or the lack of medications we can buy for a few cents over-the-counter. Yet we will spend billions to save a few lives (not a terrible thing for sure), but we forget that those billions could save millions of lives in other places. We should be grateful instead of sweating the small stuff and stop thinking that just because someone lives in another country they are worth a little less than we are. A mother losing a child is a mother losing a child. Hurts just as much everywhere.

So sorry guys. I quit smoking two years ago, if I want to light a candle and you do not want to visit me because of the horrible danger you feel it poses, So be it. Guess I am just willing to live dangerously in this respect. What a rebel I am! :) Would love to see a valid study that shows a clear connection between candle use and life expectancy. And I am not sure that burning a diesel engine in my living room is quite the same as burning a candle. Otherwise if I wanted to end it all, all I would have to do is light that bayberry candle mom gave me. No need to start up the car in the garage.

I have recently become a fan of flameless candles. They can be found at Costo in a 3-pack for around $19. They smell like vanilla candles (at this time they only offer vanilla) but they are battery operated. I like the candle ambiance and use them alot in my listings.

Oh no! I am a candleaholic, I will have to get all new ones

JAN

2010

There are two places for candles in a house. Number one is on a birthday cake. Number two is in the fireplace with the damper slightly open.

Hello Lesley,

I love candles and had no idea about the toxins. I will start buying soy candles and read the labels. I will also try your scented soup. Thank you so much for your post. I appreciate it.

Rita

JAN

2010

Great info, knew the wire wicks were bad. As a candle addict I will be getting the soy candles from now on as passing the info on to other candle addicts!

MAR

2010

All the thanks goes to British Government who initiated and supported the rescue at the time of ultimate difficulty

JUL

2010

Lesley -- This is excellent info. Guess soy and beeswax is the way to go. I have been in homes, especially around the holidays, where the 'scent' is choking. I only buy scentless, but those can be bad also I am sure. I need to look into those flameless candles.

AUG

2010

I just wanted to leave my 2 cents worth. I also am a candle manufacturer and I totally agree with the lady above (who also is a candle manufacturer comment #34) It is all in the ingredients used for the candle and the fragrances and wick sizes that make all the difference in the world! I test burn our own Little House Crafts & Candles brand and I test burn my candles (which are 3X or triple-scented) on a white surface with a white canopy just too test any soot throw that they may produce. I have YET to have any soot throw issues! I have found that The #1 problem with burning a candle is that MOST customers do not burn them by the specific directions on the label. The wick MUST BE KEPT TRIMMED to 1/4" on most candle sizes and it must be trimmed Each and Every Burn period. Another problem is that most customers will light a candle that is specifically made to burn for a 3 hour period and they will admitadly burn it all day! Of course that will produce loads of soot and turn the candle black! If you buy an American made candle that is properly manufactured and you burn it by direction it is like a fine tuned diesel engine, (read in a comment above) it will NOT harm you, remember the flame burning properly leaves nothing but fragrance. The biggest problem is with the customers not burning them properly.

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Lesley Burton-Dallas

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