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Using candles safely in your home

Keep these safety tips in mind whenever you use candles at home:

• put them on a heat-resistant surface – and be especially careful with night lights and tea lights, which get hot enough to melt plastic; TVs are not fire-resistant objects
• make sure they are held firmly upright by the holder so they won't fall over; the holder needs to be stable too, so it won't fall over either
• don't put candles near curtains, or other fabrics or furniture - and keep them out of draughts
• don't put them under shelves - make sure there's at least one metre (three feet) between a candle and any surface above it
• keep clothes and hair away from the naked flame - if there's any chance you could forget a candle is there and lean across or brush past it, put it somewhere else
• candles should always be sited out of the reach of children and away from areas that pets can get into
• leave at least four inches (10 cms) between any two candles
• extinguish candles before moving them and don't let anything fall into the hot wax, like matchsticks
• don't leave them burning – you should extinguish candles before you leave a room; never go to sleep with a candle still burning and never leave a burning candle or oil burner in a child's bedroom
• use a snuffer or a spoon to put them out - blowing them can send sparks and hot wax flying – and double-check that they’re completely out and not still smouldering

Case study

Rattan Ghuman thought he had extinguished a tea-light on the side of his bath when he left the room, but it went on smouldering. The heat from it melted the plastic side of the bath and the bathroom caught fire. Rattan and his wife, Aimee, escaped from the house, but their bathroom was destroyed.

Remember: it only takes one candle to put your home at risk - always take care when using them.

More about fire safety in the home

• Fire safety in the home - introduction
• Kitchen safety
• Smoking safety
• Electrical safety