candles -- bad for your health?

[joyfulheart]

I am wondering if it is unhealthy to burn candles???

I am always burning candles -- usually about 3 at a time!

I do use only soy and beeswax candles -- not parrafin. Does that matter???

I would so hate to stop using candles!!

Opinions??

[jcr92901]

I was just thinking this same thing except I was using paraffin! I now understand that that is not good but thought that soy and beeswax seemed OK?

Someone help us!

[ollyoxenfree]

For a science project, my DS compared the effect of incense, cigarette smoke and scented candles on plant growth. He used a bunch of plants as test subjects and individual little greenhouses that we set up around the plants. The plants that were subject to scented candles showed the least amount of impaired growth, but all groups were negatively affected compared to the control group that didn't have any kind of smoke at all. The incense group suffered the worst, BTW.

He also did a lot of research into the chemicals used in incense and candles. There is very little regulation of the industry and whole lot of toxic chemicals used.

He didn't look into natural candles and natural scents because he was actually focused on comparing the incense and cigarette groups. He threw scented candles in at the last minute.

Anyway, the outcome is that I don't allow incense burning in the house anymore. He used to burn incense in his room, but now he's convinced it's a bad idea. We never used scented candles anyway, but now I wouldn't allow them either. I don't mind a few natural candles in the house, but I like to make sure they are in open, well ventilated spaces. In a smaller room (eg. bathroom), I don't burn them for long.

[FillingMyQuiver]

Beeswax candles are the only candles that are air purifiers. You can do a google search of beeswax candles as air purifiers and there's a whole lot of info out there.

We only use beeswax candles in our home, most of them we made ourselves. I actually find the scented candles, even scented soy candles, to be too overwhelming. I much prefer the soft "honey" scent of beeswax.

[blessedwithboys]

100% pure, lightly filtered beeswax candles with led-free wicks clear the air. That's all I use here anymore bc of the kiddos.

[corrie43]

While candles may not be bad for your health, they can be dangerous. I had one in a glass jar explode and then caught my son (while hubby was supposed to be watching him) with a wooden dowel sticking it in the flame and lighting it on fire. He was 2 and a half. I have forgotten them and left them burning all night too.

My husband works at wally world and got a ton of christmas candles on clearance and we burned them and ended up paying our lanlord to repair the soot damage all over the wall. I would not burn cheap candles if you burn them at all.

After I found scentsy I will only use candles in a power outage situation. I love the scent of a candle but didn't want the flame. I like how it uses a lightbulb instead. I don't know if it is any safer than a candle for breathing, but I know it won't set my house on fire any more than leaving a lamp or nightlight on would. The wax doesn't evaporate or dissapear and there is no wick so I am assuming you are not breathing a lot in.

They sell those new febreeze things that are battery operated lamp with a paper scented shade and a lot of companies have lightbulb warmers. Obviously I prefer scentsy, but I would go with something like that instead of a flamed candle..

[zoebird]

we only use yellow beeswax candles with lead free wicks here too! and at our business, where we use beeswax tea lights, and if the practitioner wants, essential oil in those burners that you can put a tea light in. it's important to us, because we are in an office building.

in fact, we use salt lamps, bees wax candles, and a lot of plants to decrease indoor air pollution.