How to use wax melts safely

Using your wax melts

1. Stand your burner on a flat, stable, heat-resistant surface, clear of anything that can burn and out of draughts.
2. Break off one or two pieces of wax and place them in the dish of the burner. Do not overfill the dish; melted wax takes up more room and must not spill over.
3. For a tealight burner, light an unscented tealight and place it underneath. For an electric melter, switch it on and follow the instructions that came with it.
4. The wax will melt and release its scent. When you have finished, put the tealight out or switch the melter off and leave the wax to cool and set completely before touching or moving the burner.

Wax melts do not evaporate. The wax stays in the dish and the scent fades with use; when you can no longer smell it, change the wax.

Changing the wax

• Let the wax set hard. Warm the dish for a minute or two and the disc of wax will usually slide or pop out in one piece.
• Or, while the wax is melted but the heat is off, soak it up with cotton wool or kitchen paper and wipe the dish clean. Take care: the wax and the dish will be hot.
• Put used wax in the household bin. Never pour wax down a sink or drain.
• Do not use a knife or other sharp object to dig wax out. It can crack the dish.

Safety every time

• Never leave a lit tealight or a switched-on melter unattended, and never leave one on while you sleep.
• Keep burners, melters and wax out of the reach of children and away from pets.
• Use only unscented tealights that burn for about four hours. Larger or longer-burning tealights can overheat the burner and the wax.
• Do not burn a tealight for more than four hours at a time. Let the burner cool before using it again.
• Never add water or any other liquid to the dish, and never let the dish heat while empty.
• Do not move a burner while the wax is liquid or the burner is hot.
• Keep the burner away from curtains, furnishings and anything else that can catch fire, and out of draughts.
• Use wax melts only in a burner or melter made for them. Do not heat them in a pan, a microwave or anything else.
• Wax melts are not food. They can look and smell like sweets: do not eat them, and store them where children cannot mistake them for something to eat.
• Use in a ventilated room. Stop using a fragrance if it causes you any discomfort.
• Read the safety label on each product before use. It lists the specific hazards and allergens for that fragrance.

Fragranced products can affect some people and animals more than others. If you are pregnant, have asthma or another breathing condition, or have a known sensitivity to fragrance, check the label before use. Some fragrance ingredients are harmful to pets, particularly cats, birds and small animals: use in a room your pet can leave, and ask your vet if you are unsure.

Burners and electric melters

Ceramic and electric burners become hot in use and stay hot for some time afterwards. Handle them only when cool. Check a burner for chips or cracks before each use and do not use it if it is damaged.

Use an electric melter only as described in the manufacturer's instructions supplied with it. Keep it and its cable dry, do not use it if the cable or plug is damaged, and unplug it when it is not in use.

Reed diffusers

• Stand the diffuser on a level surface where it cannot be knocked over, out of the reach of children and pets and away from heat, flames and direct sunlight.
• Never light the reeds.
• Diffuser liquid can mark or damage polished, painted, plastic and fabric surfaces. Use a mat underneath and wipe up any spill straight away.
• Wash your hands after handling the reeds or the liquid. Do not swallow the liquid; if it is swallowed, seek medical advice and show the label.
• Turn the reeds from time to time to refresh the scent, over a sink to catch drips.

Storing your wax melts

Keep wax melts in their packaging in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Heat and sunlight can soften the wax and fade its colour and scent. Colour may change over time; this does not affect how the wax melts.

Our responsibility and yours

These instructions, together with the label on each product, are how our products are meant to be used. We cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or injury that results from a product being used in a way these instructions or the product label warn against, or being used for something it was not made for. This does not limit our liability where the law says it cannot be limited.