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SCENTED CANDLES HARBOR SOOT, WARNS EXPERT
AUBURN, APRIL 1, 2000---Homeowners beware: burning scented candles around the home may conjure up more than just the luscious smells of cherry blossoms and spring daisies.
While scented candles are widely used in homes to spruce up the atmosphere, they’re also a major cause of soot, which causes ugly blemishes around the home and may even pose health risks.
Soot is a common byproduct of any process involving incomplete combustion of carbon. Fortunately for homeowners, the combustion processes in most household appliances are properly vented to ensure fuels undergo complete combustion.
That’s not the case with scented candles. In fact, a Florida study revealed soot particles from candle burning is the culprit behind many ugly blemishes in homes.
Is it really possible for a tiny candle to do so much harm around the home?
"Yes," says Dr. Jesse LaPrade, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System environmental specialist, who stresses that these particles, no matter how small, eventually amount to a big deal over time.
"Airborne soot particles caused from burning candles eventually collide with other airborne particles," LaPrade says. "As these particles grow in size from the tiny collisions, they eventually are forced by gravity to settle on tables, counters and other surfaces around the home."
Adding to the problem is the fact that soot is attracted to cooler surfaces. As a result, wall surfaces over studs as well as air conditioning supply vents, are prone to soot buildup.
Statically charged surfaces, such as medicine cabinets, internal freezer surfaces, plastic vertical blinds and computers also are susceptible to buildup.
If blemishes from these buildups aren’t bad enough, soot particles also can affect health.
"Airborne soot particles can be inhaled," LaPrade says, "and since most of these particles are less than one micron in diameter, they can penetrate the deepest areas of the lungs."
Studies of other sources of microscopic soot, such as diesel engines and factory emissions, show these particles enter the lower respiratory tract, including the alveoli, and are not easily discharged. Even worse, burning candle wicks also can produce volatile organic compounds, such as carbon monoxide, and a number of known carcinogens.
Vaporized lead, for example, is a byproduct of wicks reinforced by lead wire supports. Because lead overexposure is a real concern from burning candles, candles with wire wicks should not be burned in homes, LaPrade says.
In addition, there are other precautions homeowners should take to reduce exposure to these problems.
"The most effective approach is to stop burning these candles," says LaPrade. "Barring that, the next best approach is to ventilate the home by opening the windows whenever candles are burned."
While soot buildup is difficult to remove, polar solvents provide the best remedy. For hard plastic surfaces, rubbing alcohol can be used, although "ghosting" may result.
This ghosting effect, which is typical on many plastic surfaces, is caused by the smallest particles that can’t be removed.
Consult cleaning services specializing in fire restoration for cleaning other surfaces.
Products with the following characteristics have the highest capacity for causing soot: