Why Does My Candle Wick Mushroom?

If you’ve burned candles for a while, you’ve probably seen it—a little black cap that forms on the end of the wick. Candle makers usually call this “mushrooming.”

A little mushrooming can happen during a normal burn, but a larger buildup can be a sign that the wick needs some attention. That buildup can contribute to a larger flame, soot and other unwanted burn behavior.

That’s one reason we recommend trimming your wick to about 1/4 inch or slightly less before burning and checking it during longer burns. A properly trimmed wick helps your candle burn more cleanly and predictably.

There’s quite a bit more to wick behavior than most people would ever guess. We’ll dig deeper into that here at Campfire Stories.