The Clever Rubber Band Hack That Keeps A Tapered Candle Straight

Tapered candles are a great addition to any cozy nightstand or dining table decoration, but setting them up to get them ready to burn is often more difficult than expected. Tapered candles are a fairly consistent size, but sometimes, they don't seem to properly fit into your candle holders. Thankfully, however, clever TikToker Liz Fenwick shared a simple hack to stabilize your candles in their holders using just a rubber band.

Uneven candles might not seem like much of an issue, but if you want to avoid making a mess, it's necessary for your candle to stand completely straight. Dripless candles are designed to melt away without leaving any excess wax or residue, but, if they're not perfectly upright, the flame will burn slightly more on one side and cause the wax to drip down the side before it's able to melt away. This isn't a major problem if you're going for a spooky, witchy look, but, if you want to ensure you're left with clean tablecloths at the end of your dinner, it's a good idea to grab a couple rubber bands and try out this hack before lighting.

In her video, Liz Fenwick starts with a few tapered candles and candle holders. To begin, test if your candles fit snugly in the holders. If they feel like they're secure and aren't prone to wiggling or shifting, you're good to go. Check the placement from a few different angles to ensure everything is as vertical as possible, then light and enjoy.

If they aren't secure, however, grab a few small rubber bands and wrap them around the very bottom of your candle. The exact specifications don't matter much, but something small and thin like a mini hair rubber band will likely do the trick. Bulkier rubber bands like the ones used for produce might be too thick to place your candle back in the holder. After it's tightly wrapped around, place the end of the candle in the holder and adjust as necessary. You should feel like you've created a tighter fit that's less prone to shifting or tilting.

When it comes to this hack — and basically anything else involving candles — your biggest concern should be fire safety. Never leave a candle unattended, light only a few at a time, and keep them away from anything easily flammable. Just because your tapered candle feels more secure after this hack, it doesn't mean that you can ignore the necessary steps to stay safe.

Additionally, it's a good idea to put out your candles before they fully burn when using this hack. As the flame reaches the bottom, it's also growing closer to the rubber band wrapped around the base. Rubber, despite its heat resistance, is still a flammable material, and thin pieces of rubber, like rubber bands, are much easier to catch on fire than something like a thick tire. Put your candle out with at least an inch of wax left, let everything cool, and then remove the candle and rubber band to dispose of it. This way, you'll minimize your risk while still enjoying a mess-free cleanup.