Wax

[The Natural Philosopher]

I believe more people die as a result of candle acidents than fireworks.

I wonder if Cherise wasn't such a dippy Nu Age aromethreapyfengshiter, they would be banned.

[The Natural Philosopher]

You only do something like that once. That has an ominous ring.

Frankly I think candles are carcinogenic and extremely dangerous to have in a house. SWMBO has spilt wax all over a table, ruining it using an iron to get it out, all over a brand new tablecloth that won't wash out, all down a period brick wall, and, hasn't quite managed to set the kittens alight, but there is still time.

Open fires come under serious building regulations. You can't buy fireworks easily and there are steps to ban them, but candles - oh you can have a merry Xmas setting fire to your house with no goverment health warnings and no instructions at all.

[Owain]

"Mary Fisher" wrote | "Sneezy" wrote | > Moral - be extra, extra careful with candles! | As a (beeswax) candle maker I'd endorse that but they really aren't | dangerous in themselves - only when abused.

As it seems that candles, electricity generation and distribution resiliency, and emergency lighting, are currently or fairly recently popular topics of conversation here:

have been trying to find out what caused a fire which killed a woman and her grandchild. The fire broke out at 60-year-old Ellen Simpson's cottage in Wanlockhead, Dumfries and Galloway, at 0400 GMT on New Year's Day. The woman and her 13-year-old granddaughter, who was staying there with her mother, died. One theory is that candles being used during a power cut may have been the source of the blaze.

Owain

[Owain]

"Mary Fisher" wrote | "Sneezy" wrote | > Moral - be extra, extra careful with candles! | As a (beeswax) candle maker I'd endorse that but they really aren't | dangerous in themselves - only when abused.

As it seems that candles, electricity generation and distribution resiliency, and emergency lighting, are currently or fairly recently popular topics of conversation here:

have been trying to find out what caused a fire which killed a woman and her grandchild. The fire broke out at 60-year-old Ellen Simpson's cottage in Wanlockhead, Dumfries and Galloway, at 0400 GMT on New Year's Day. The woman and her 13-year-old granddaughter, who was staying there with her mother, died. One theory is that candles being used during a power cut may have been the source of the blaze.

Owain

[derek]

SWMBO lit one of those hideous multi dipped and carved American decorative candles in a saucer on the hearth, (as per the instructions) it was about 10" tall. Unwisely we left it burning unattended and at some stage when it had burnt well down the side melted through and released about a pound of melted wax which overwhelmed the saucer and spilled onto the new carpet. :-(

I got it off completely by softening it with a hair dryer and mechanically scraping it off, then I used a heavy organic solvent (so it didn't just evaporate immediately) alternating with a steam cleaner to keep the wax liquid. When I'd got all I could off by doing that I used a lighter organic solvent to remove what was left inc. last traces of the heavy solvent.

DG

[Lobster]

I've never heard that one before. Do you have any evidence for this that I can wave under the nose of my candlephile SWMBO?

(You have to admit they're fun to play with at the dinner table though...)

David

[Lobster]

17 died in the UK in house fires caused by candles in 2001 (the most recent stats available at

There have been only 3 firework fatalities between 1997 and 2002

David (Guess who's the only one in the office back at work today, and is BORED!)

[Mary Fisher]

a

Theory.

But I still maintain that a candle, of itself, is an innocuous item.

To cause any problem the wick has to be lit.

Then the candle has to be placed near something flammable, or not fixed in a proper holder, or caried about without due care, or left in a draught or ...

I repeat that candles aren't | dangerous in themselves - only when abused. And who causes the abuse?

People.

Blame people for such accidents.

The oxygen in the air can't be blamed for the fire in the factory.

Mary

[Suz]

Careful with this too. Today my 3 yr old got nail varnish on a polished side table. As she isn't allowed nail polish on her own and is a very resourceful kid and a sneaky wee git, she swiped nail polish remover and proceeded to remove nail polish and table varnish right back to bare wood. The damn nail polish is crap at remove nail polish too! Looks like a job for the professionals :(

[The Natural Philosopher]

Same goes for AK47's, atom bombs and castor oil plants. And indeed morphine etc etc.

Users

Precisley.

However, the carcinogenic nature of the burnt wax is very large. There are no government warning on em.

Tobacco is not harmful either, unless lit, and inhaled.

I am pretty sure that's only beacsue some sodding Union hasn't gotten around to thinking of it yet.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Yes. Acetone/Xylene will attack many varnishes, but not polyurethanes.

Actually, you may find that a thorough dousing of the whole table with nail varnish remover followed by a rub over with a scrap cloth will at least get the surface even, and then another layer of some suitable varnish will restore it well.

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