The Bizarre Spaghetti Hack for Lighting Deep Candles Safely
- Lifestyle
- Exienent
- · Updated
The easiest way to light a jar candle whose wick has burned far below the rim is to use a single strand of uncooked spaghetti as an extra-long match. Light the tip of the noodle with an ordinary lighter, lower it into the jar, and touch it to the wick—your hand never goes near the flame.
Why Is a Deep Jar Candle So Hard to Light?
A deep jar candle is hard to light because, once it has burned about halfway down, the wick can sit two inches or more below the rim of the glass. Angling a standard plastic lighter down inside the jar forces your wrist into an awkward claw shape, and when you flick it, the flame can shoot straight into your thumb.
The usual fix is a long, specialized barbecue lighter, but those take up a lot of drawer space. A piece of dried pasta does the same job with something already in the pantry.
Why Does Uncooked Spaghetti Make a Good Match?
Uncooked spaghetti makes a good match because dried pasta is surprisingly flammable. Because it's dense and dry, a piece of uncooked spaghetti burns at a slow, steady, and controllable rate.
More importantly, it gives you several inches of reach. It acts like an extra-long wooden matchstick, letting you reach the bottom of the deepest candle jars without putting your hand anywhere near the flame.
How Do You Use the Spaghetti Candle Hack?
No special preparation is needed. The next time a deep candle wick is out of reach, head to the kitchen:
- Grab a Noodle: Pull a single strand of standard, uncooked spaghetti out of the box. Avoid angel hair (it burns too fast) or a thick pasta like penne. Standard spaghetti or linguine works best.
- Light the Tip: Hold the spaghetti noodle like a magic wand. Use a regular, cheap pocket lighter to light the very tip of the noodle. It takes a second or two to catch, but once it does, it holds a small, steady flame.
- Light Your Candle: Lower the burning end of the spaghetti down into the jar and touch it to the candle wick. Once the wick catches, pull the noodle back out.
- Extinguish: Blow out the flame on the noodle just like you would a match, or quickly run the tip under a little tap water in the sink. You can even break off the burnt end and save the rest of the noodle for next time!
When Is the Spaghetti Trick Most Useful?
The spaghetti trick is most useful when you light several candles around the house to set a cozy atmosphere. It's especially handy during holidays, when you might be lighting tealights inside deep votive holders or carved pumpkins where a regular lighter won't fit.
It costs nothing, uses something most kitchens already have in the cupboard, and helps you avoid those painful little thumb burns. So the next time a stubborn wick is out of reach, raid your pasta stash instead of buying a special lighter.
