There are numerous news headlines that claim scented candles are harmful to humans and can even cause cancer. While they may sound reasonable and persuasive, it has been confirmed that most candles are not as harmful as most think.
The effects
It is true that candles, especially the ones made out of paraffin wax, do release various toxic vapor and particles when burned, which can be unsafe to inhale in large amounts. However, research suggests that with normal use, the dose is far below the threshold where it starts to cause harm. According to experts, there is absolutely no reason to believe that occasional candle-burning, such as an hour a day, can be dangerous (Moyer, 2021).
In 2014, an experiment was conducted where researchers burned scented paraffin candles in various roomsof different sizes. One room was approximately the size of a small bathroom, and another a living room. They used special instruments to measure the gases released, and while they did find a couple that could potentially be cancer-causing chemicals, such as benzene and formaldehyde, even the highest amount recorded after four hours of constant burning was only about half of the recommended indoor air-quality limits set by the World Health Organization, even for small bathrooms. It’s worth noting that this experiment was conducted with closed windows and no air conditioners. The conclusion drawn from this experiment was that under normal circumstances, scented candles do not pose any threat to consumers,and this result is consistent with other tests (Moyer, 2021).
How do the toxins work?
When candles are burned, they release harmful chemicals into the air. However, as explained by Pamela Dalton, an odor perception and irritation researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, people will inhale higher levels of potentially toxic gas just by being exposed to car exhaust. She also said that the amount of odor-causing particles produced by a scented candle are on the order of a few parts per millions to even billions, which is like a single teaspoon’s worth of toxic chemicals being poured into an olympic-sized swimming pool. Humans can smell faint fragrances at very low concentrations,leading to an overestimation of the risks. Because the human nose is highly sensitive, people can detect odors that are barely even there.
How to make the smell stronger
Scented candles, while they smell good, might sometimes have weak or unclear scrents that make it difficult to enjoy them. There are multiple possible reasons for this. One reason could be that the room the candle is placed in is too large for the smell to spread out and loses its smell before it reaches the corners. Another reason could be that the wick is fully burnt but not getting shorter. In such cases, it would be best to cut the wick lower using scissors or by hand while wearing gloves. Lastly, putting the candle out is also a possibility, since, as obvious as it might sound, it takes time for the scents to really begin to come out.
Conclusion
Scented candles are an excellent way to enjoy the flickering flame and pleasant aroma, creating a cozy and warm atmosphere in a house or room. The chemicals emitted from them are harmless when used normally and will not cause any health problems. In fact, the tiny flame is much more dangerous than the emitted chemicals.
References
Moyer, M.W. (2021). Are Scented Candles Harmful to Your Health? The New York Times. [online] 9 Nov. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/09/well/scented-candles-health.html [Accessed 20 May 2023].
Wahid, T. (2021). How can I make my Soy Candles Smell Stronger? [online] Wax & Wick. Available at: https://waxandwick.co/blogs/news/how-can-i-make-my-soy-candles-smell-stronger [Accessed 19 May 2023].
