DetoxSwap

Myth vs fact · Home Air

Are scented candles bad for you? What beeswax does

Every candle flame gives off soot and fine particles, and scent adds VOCs. Beeswax skips the fragrance but doesn’t clean the air; burning fewer helps most.

Every flame releases soot and fine particles, whatever the wax. Burning fewer candles helps more than switching.

2 min read · Written by · Checked · 1 source

Myth

Beeswax candles purify the air.

Fact

Every flame releases particles. Burning fewer candles helps more than switching wax.

What each change does

  • Unscented beeswax

    Removes the fragrance. It’s still a flame.

  • Fewer, or flameless

    Fewer particles in the room. The real win.

Every flame releases soot and fine particles Source 1

Do candles pollute indoor air?

Yes, every flame does: it releases soot and fine particles, and fragrance adds VOCs. A cosy candle can push indoor particle levels above city smog while it burns. Source 1

Do beeswax candles purify the air?

No, beeswax candles don’t purify the air. In a 2021 lab study of five candle types with different waxes and wicks, the wax and wick changed how much soot and fine particles came off, but soot made up most of the particles from every one, and the wax and wick made no difference to formaldehyde or nitrogen oxides. Source 1 Unscented beeswax removes the fragrance, which is worth having.

What helps most?

Burning fewer candles, or using LED ones. When you do light a candle, make it unscented and open a window.

Beeswax does not ‘purify’ the air. In a 2021 lab study of five candle types, the wax and wick changed how much soot came off, but soot made up most of the particles from every candle.

Sources (1)
  1. Andersen et al. 2021, Indoor Air: five candle types with different waxes and wicks; wax and wick changed soot and PM2.5, not NOx or formaldehyde

More myths, checked

All 13 myths

Tap one to see what the sources actually say.