People who use wax warmers love it and swear by its great results of keeping their space fragrant for hours. Since this is a device that’s expected to work for a long time, how long can you leave a wax warmer on?
While any warmer worth its salt will take a few hours in its stride, there are different types of wax melts and wax warmers. Each of these can have a different endurance for how long it can run.
Wax warmers are fairly safe to use for extended periods of time. However, exercising reasonable caution is always the smarter way.
It’s a good idea to look at the manufacturer’s notes on how to use the wax melts and warmers. You can also make deductions based on the type of wax warmers and their intended use.
So, let’s take a better look at how long you can leave a wax warmer on and for how long the wax melts can stay in the warmer.
A Closer Look At The Types Of Wax Warmers
A wax warmer is a functional device that heats the wax melts or wickless candles to diffuse the scent around. You don’t always have to use specific wax melts, though they are better. Using candle wax in a wax warmer is a suitable way to deal with leftover candle wax.
Depending on the type of the warmer, the heat is generated through electricity or tealight candles. Though other mechanisms may also be used. The type also defines how long can you leave a wax warmer on for best results.
1. Enjoy The Aesthetic Appeal Of Candles With A Tealight Wax Warmer
This wax warmer is a combo of a candle, wax melts, and fragrances. A burning tea light wax warmer is a sight to watch! A beautiful piece that impresses everyone but for candle lovers, the aesthetics of the flame are quite incomparable.
Tealight wax warmers usually have two sections. At its bottom is a place for the tealight, while the top is shaped something like a bowl (or dish plate) to hold the wax melts.
Its usage is quite simple. Light your tea light and put it in its spot. Put a wax melt in the bowl.
As the flame heats the dish plate, the wax tarts melt and release their fragrance. You can also blend two wax melts to create your desired scent.
Conventionally, a tealight warmer will give a more intense fragrance as compared to electric warmers.
The fragrance will usually last for 4-8 hours before the wax melts are completely spent. With some warmers, it might be necessary to replace the tealight to keep the wax warmer going for longer.
2. Electric Wax Warmers For A Different Style And Aesthetic
Burning a candle or tealight isn’t always the favored option for getting heat to wax melts. The tealight lasts only a few hours and there’s no way to manage the temperature effectively. Or, you may simply not like the idea of a flame in the surroundings.
The answer to this situation is the use of electric wax warmers. There are a few types of electric wax warmers, though the following are the most common:
- Incandescent lamp (bulb) wax warmers.
- Heating element wax warmers.
You place the wax melts on the plate and switch on the warmer by plugging in the socket. Depending on the type of the warmer, it will either use the lamp or the heating element to warm the wax melts.
Eventually, the melts will melt and let off their fragrance.
Most electric wax warmers are good for use for about 10 hours. After this time, the wax melts would have already released their fragrance completely. So, keeping the warmer on serves no practical purpose.
It would be better to switch off the warmer and let the wax cool and solidify. This would make it easier to remove the wax, and if required, add new wax melts.
Can You Leave A Wax Warmer On All Night Or Longer? Some Tips For Use And Safety
The first thing that is often recommended when you use candles is never to leave a burning candle unattended. It can become a fire hazard and needs to be watched, especially with children and pets around.
A similar logic should apply to wax warmers using tealights. As for electric warmers, though they’re designed to run for several hours, they aren’t designed to be always running.
Never Leave A Tealight Wax Warmer Unattended
If it’s a tealight wax warmer, it’s not desirable to leave it unattended. Make it a point to check on it every so often. Tealights for warmers usually last for 6 to 8 hours and self-extinguish, but it’s good practice to keep an eye on the flame.
But can you leave wax melts on overnight?
When kept at a higher surface and away from inflammable stuff, tealight wax warmers are reasonably safe.
But if there are children and pets around, you have to be cautious. They may drop it down and inflict injuries to them with molten wax and flame. And if the flame comes in contact with anything combustible, it can cause a fire.
Besides safety, excessive heating of the warmer through the tealight can harm the device too. The plate may even form cracks due to continuous and excessive heat.
Give Your Electric Wax Warmer A Break In Between
When you use an electric wax warmer with an incandescent bulb or a heating plate, remember you are dealing with the electric current consumed by the device.
Though there is no flame in these warmers, you can’t keep a nonchalant attitude towards handling them. Going through the manufacturer’s instructions on the maximum time is a good idea. If those aren’t available, it’s best to use your own judgment.
Most manufacturers recommend using electric wax warmers for about 10 hours. Going a little beyond is not much of a problem.
Given the timeline, it might work if you choose to keep the electric wax warmer on overnight. If the warmer is using a lamp, it might even work as a decent night light!
Although, keep in mind that these are still electric devices working with heat. There can be problems like overheating or electrical wire damage. The associated problems are pretty much the same as any other electric appliance.
Do not leave the wax warmer on if you’re not at home. Similarly, while a few hours won’t hurt, don’t keep it running continuously.
If you prefer something more convenient, try getting an electric wax warmer with a timer. These warmers have a built-in timer that the consumer can set to their preference. Once the time is up, the wax warmer switches off automatically.
Can You Leave Unused Wax In Warmer?
There is no harm in keeping unused wax tarts or blocks in a wax warmer. You might even enjoy their cold throw for a while. When ready, just turn on the wax warmer and let it work its magic.
Although keep in mind that once unpacked, the wax will begin to lose some of its scent. It’s not troublesome or any problem if you intend to use the wax warmer in a few hours. In some cases, letting the unused wax sit for a few days won’t be a problem either.
But, all said and done, there’s not much point in leaving unused wax in a warmer. The cold throw might be enjoyable, but it’s not really the way to realize the full potential of the wax melt.
Cleaning Used Wax From A Wax Warmer
So, you’ve enjoyed the fragrance from the wax warmer, but what about the unused wax left in the warmer? Should you let it be in there or remove it?
I suggest extracting the unused wax from the warmer is good for the health of your warmer. And it makes your wax melts give off their scent throw at its best.
By the time your wax melts have delivered the complete scent throw, there is no point in keeping the unused wax. If kept in the warmer, it interferes with the scent throw of your new wax melts. And you do not get the desired results.
Tips To Clean The Unused Wax From the Wax Warmer
With consistent heating of the unused wax, you end up with a hard chunk or layer of wax sticking to the edges and the base. As discussed above, it alters the scent of your new wax melts. But if this realization came to you too late, you can still scrape the wax out at home.
The process is fairly simple. Here are a few ideas you can use.
- If possible, take the heating plate or the dish plate of tea light wax warmer out. This may not work with all wax warmers.
- Slip the plate into a bowl of hot water.
- The hardened wax will gradually loosen its grip.
- Scrape the wax with a spatula if necessary.
- Clean and dry the plate with a clean cloth.
Here’s what you can do if the heating plate wants to remain affixed to the wax warmer.
- Melt the wax by switching on the warmer.
- Once it melts, pour the wax into a bowl. And dispose of it responsibly.
- Wipe out the remaining wax with a tissue or a clean dry cloth.
In case you don’t want to heat the wax or can’t work with molten wax, consider using a knife or a thin spatula. Use the knife or spatula to scrape out the wax, but be careful not to damage the plate.
Let The Wax Warmer Take Care Of Your Home Ambiance But Give It A Break
Wax warmers are fairly resilient devices. They can work long hours and keep emitting fragrance without requiring much attention. So what happens if you leave a wax warmer on? In most cases, nothing much except the waste of your resources.
And how long can you leave a wax warmer on depends on the type of the wax warmer. For tealight warmers, around eight hours is a good maximum time for continuous use. Electric warmers are more resilient and can go on until the wax melts are completely used. Usually, this takes about 10 hours.
For best results and your safety, it is better to use the wax warmer responsibly. A tealight wax warmer shouldn’t be left unattended.
There is more leeway with electric wax warmers and you might even consider leaving them on overnight. But remember that these are electrical appliances working with heat and some caution from the user is necessary.