Awesome life hacks by ANGRY ORANGE

All you need to know about scented candles

by Tracy Davis

HI, my name is Tracy and I have a deliciously smelling guilty pleasure: scented candles. I love to have a sweet fragrance around the house and I must admit, I’m that person that always sniffs the different candles in a store, even when I’m not planning on buying one.

Of all the scents out there, I have a sweet spot for the Christmassy ones, anything that smells like gingerbread, cookies, chocolate and mint, cinnamon apple, you name it, I’ll want it!

But, candle-loving Tracy is also super-meowmy-love-my-furball-to-bits Tracy. So naturally, I did a little research on how safe it is to use odor candles around pets. Turns out, not that much (and I say this with a heavy heart). Here’s why:

1. If you have a curious pet, that climbs on the furniture and likes to explore every nook and cranny of your home, be aware of the risks that an open flame candle could pose. Your little adventurer could accidentally knock over the candle, starting a fire or, even worst, setting themselves on fire.

2. Some scents are stronger than others and they can cause your furry friend distress and airway irritations. Paraffin wax candles contain volatile organic compounds and artificial fragrances that are toxic for your pet. Moreover, when paraffin burns, it releases in the air a carcinogenic soot that can affect both people and pets with respiratory problems, like asthma.

Another toxic airborne product released by paraffin candles are Phthalates, that can cause problems with the endocrine system. Yayks!

Source: Unsplash

Before you start to compulsively throw away all the candles in the house, let’s see what safer options are out there:

1. If your love for scented candles is oh-so-strong, don’t fret, there are safer, more natural options that you can look into. Choose a candle that is made out of soy, beeswax, bluecorn or vegetable wax and with a cotton wick instead of a wick made with metal in it. Wicks with metal wires in the center can emit heavy metals into the air.

2. This might seem like a no-brainer, but it is very important. Make sure to never leave your pet alone in the same room as a flamed candle. If you wish to light a candle, place it somewhere your kitty or doggo can’t reach and make sure the room has very good ventilation.

3. If you’re using odor candles as a way to clean the air and get rid of the pet smells, maybe you can find some alternatives that are better suited for you and for your animal. Odor candles might have a wide array of fragrances to choose from, but they don’t effectively eliminate the problem. So instead of having a wet doggo smell in the house, you’ll have a wet-doggo-smell-with-a-hint-of-pumpkin-spice. Doesn’t sound that appealing, does it?

Try a pet odor eliminator solution like Angry Orange instead, it will not only cover those nasty smells, but will destroy them completely.