According to the manufacturer, making candles using crayons is not recommended as they have not been tested or approved for this specific type of use.
What Are Crayons Made Of?
Crayons, specifically Crayola® Crayons according to the reference, are made primarily from:
- Paraffin wax
- Color pigment
While paraffin wax is a common base for many candles, the addition of color pigments designed for drawing, and the specific formulation for crayons, means they differ from candle waxes.
Why Aren't Crayons Recommended for Candle Making?
The key reason highlighted by the manufacturer is the lack of testing and approval for use as a candle. The reference explicitly states:
Crayola® Crayons are made primarily from paraffin wax and color pigment. We do not recommend making candles using Crayola Crayons. They have not been tested or approved for this type of use.
This means the crayons have not undergone the necessary safety evaluations required for products intended to be burned indoors.
Potential Concerns
Safety testing for candles typically evaluates factors crucial for home safety, such as:
- Burn Rate: How quickly and evenly the candle burns.
- Soot Production: The amount of soot released into the air.
- Fumes: What substances are emitted when the material is burned.
- Fire Safety: The risk of flare-ups or the flame behaving unexpectedly.
Because crayons have not been tested for these criteria as candles, there is no assurance that they will burn safely or predictably. The color pigments, while safe for drawing, might behave differently when subjected to the heat and combustion of a candle flame compared to standard candle dyes.
In summary, while crayons share a primary ingredient (paraffin wax) with some candles, they are formulated differently and have not been tested or approved for burning, leading the manufacturer to advise against using them for candle making.
