Please Help!- Lighter Fluid Smell

[Grani L]

Any suggestions? I have poured in 464 GB- Natures Garden Sweet orange Chili Pepper. It has cured for weeks and weeks. It smells like I am getting ready to grill in my house. Do anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do. I have read to add vanilla. Is that vanilla FO or something else. Also about how much- and do I mix it in with the fo?

Thanks

[Beth]

For citrus-y FOs, if I recall, NG suggests adding them to your wax at a lower temp. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, lol.

[moonshine]

I tried that before- adding at a Lower temp and for me with 415 it didn't make a difference

Some oils just smell like that- wish I knew why or how to correct it!

I love BCN tomato leaf and in melts is so wonderful- throw a wick in it at all different temps and I get the nastiest fuel smell ever

Wish I could help but your not alone

[Chefmom]

I finally know what "fuel smell" really means!! I have Purely Peppermint from Peaks and no matter what size or wick it smells like peppermint cold, and when I light it up it smells like I spilled kerosene on my feet!!

[moonshine]

Lol- thats another one I get it with but not as bad! Again in melts its wonderful peppermint but when I light a candle in it the immediate area is fuel like smelling but further out in the room I do smell peppermint- crazy!

Edited January 8, 2013 by moonshine

[Lorelei]

I have no fuel smell with this fragrance in 415 soy at all! Isn't that strange, it smells as good as in the bottle always no matter what I put it in.

[Judy, USMC]

The first couple of years I would load up the FO in a candle to the maximum the wax would hold and scratched a few citruses (orange, lemon, lime) off the list because of the fuel smell. When I went back to them I found the fuel smell went away when I decreased the FO load. Went from a 9% load to 7%. Maybe try that if you like the fragrance.

For melts I can load to the max and don't get the fuel odor.

[Grani L]

Thank you all. I guess I shall move on.

[so-soy]

I haven't used NG's SOCP but I do use Millcreeks sweet orange chili pepper in pure soywax and I have to use a lower amount of fo per pound. Then I don't get the dreaded fuel smell. So try the fo using a lower amount pp. But fuel smells with certain citrus scents is the nature of the beast with soywax unfortunately.

[Alan]

The combustion products of some fragrance oils, most notably the citrusy ones, can mimic the molecular structure of various fuels. Some noses will "see" these combustion products as a fuel, others will not, since it really isn't a fuel. We will all have varying levels of sensitivity.

Additionally, the amount of these combustion products released into the air is related to how well the candle burns. If a candle burns with perfectly complete combustion, then the only products of that combustion will be carbon dioxide and water, both of which are odorless. While perfect combustion is probably unattainable, the closer you get to it, the better, since it will minimize the production of those molecules that mimic fuels, as well as minimize soot production. Poorly burning candles will produce more of the fuely odor, due to incomplete combustion, the same thing that causes soot production.

Edited January 18, 2013 by Alan

[Judy, USMC]

Poorly burning candles will produce more of the fuely odor, due to incomplete combustion, the same thing that causes soot production.

Alan - Just wondering how to incorporate the fragrance oil load with your incomplete combustion statement. Can an abundance of a "citrusy" fragrance load cause a poorly burning candle? Just asking because when I used 9% I did notice the fuel smell and had some minimal sooting but when I backed down to 7% the soot and fuel odor resolved. Could it be something in the chemical composition of the citrus FOs that affects the combustion and, as an adjunct, will throw the fuel odor if used beyond a certain percentage? Hope you can understand what I'm driving at ...

[emilyspoppy]

Judy;

I'm with you on this one!

I have a fragrance that I blended, "Tangerine Dreams" that a lady returned claiming a fuel odor smell. We both sniffed the jar at the same time and I did not get a fuel odor, but she insisted that she did. She accepted another fragrance with my apologies.

I test burned the returned candle for a three hour period in my shop, while we were open and busy with customers. No one complained. I finally gave what was left of the questionable candle to a friendly customer who buys "TD" in bulk and he said he loved it the same as the others he had bought.

I did, however, reduce my FO load on all citrus based candles shortly after that. I am careful now to add 7/8 of an ounce per pound of wax (IGI-4630).

Unknown to me the lady arrived back in my shop a month or so later and told me she was glad I had changed my tangerine fragrance to a better one. She had bought another "TD" jar from my wife while I was tied up in another part of our shop.

I just smiled and thanked her, but didn't tell her that it came from the same gallon jug as the first one she had issues with. She had bought the same FO at a lesser concentration and it solved the problem for her, at least!

I never told my other customer about the cut-back in FO load, and he's never mentioned that he though they were weaker throwing. Everybody is happy, so I guess the problem is solved.

I was really impressed with Alan's explanation! What a board!

SF

Dave @ Charlotte Hall Country Candles

[deb426]

I must be ultra sensitive to this. I have tried tons of orange scents because I love that scent and I would love to add it to my line. It would be such a great mixer with so many other scents! With every single one I've tried, no matter who the supplier, no matter what the percentage, all I smell is fuel. Even if I just use a 25% ratio of orange to another scent, all I smell is the fuel. I know that it is me because I can have someone else smell it while it is burning and they just smell the real scent. I finally, reluctantly, gave up trying. I can't stand to sell a candle that I can't smell correctly even if my best friend says it smells great.

[emilyspoppy]

I heard that, but if I only stocked fragrances that I liked, i would have a pretty bare shop.

Break down and do a citrus or two. Bitter Creek South's "Citrus Splash" is about the best I have come across to date.

I HATE DRAGON'S BLOOD / PATCHOULI / JASMINE and one we call FLOWER SHOP (I privately call it FUNERAL PARLOR) but they all get restocked regularly, darn it!

I've learned to hold my breath for long periods thanks to this business.

Dave

[moonshine]

Deb- have you tried JS cranberry orange? That one works well for me in soy with no fuel smell and I am sensitive to that as well

I haven't tried sweet orange chili pepper with a wick yet but in a melt is an amazing orange - MC is the one I tried

[deb426]

I stock plenty of fragrances I don't like but I'm not willing to sell something that smells like fuel to me even if it might not smell that way to others. If I can't smell it properly, I can't assess its throw or its strength throughout the burn. This is different than simply not liking a scent. My customers will just have to get their orange fix with the melts, room spray or pot pourri I sell but not with a candle. If they want a candle, there are plenty out there they can buy from someone else and that's okay with me.

Moonshine - I haven't tried JS cranberry orange but I have tried several versions of SOCP including MC and they all smell like fuel to me. Every once in a while I'll add a sample orange to an existing order from various suppliers and whip up a candle with a hope and a prayer but at this point, I'm not on an active search. I'll keep JS in mind though, thanks.

[Grani L]

In Response to Alan - I did use 6% FO - When you say Incomplete Combustion, does that mean it is a wicking issues, a process issue or pour temp issue? I heated to 175 - added FO at 165- And Poured at 150 - 155. All the tops were perfect. I will retest the Candle over again - Eco Soya 135 - Only FO and Wax, with less FO - Previous Wicks were CD 16, LX 18, and CD 20. -- The CD 20 was fine at first, but on the third burn, the Flame got really high. The CD 16, on the third burn, the sides still werent quite clean, as I will contine to test this wick. The LX I will also Contiue to test, as it had cleared the sides. - All are being tested using a -12 oz Dollar Tree status type jar. Do you have any wicking suggestions or any other techniques that I may apply?

[emilyspoppy]

Dear Deb426;

I am seriously sorry if I came off as pushy or opinated about your preference not to sell citrus-based scents. I had no right to even suggest to you how you should run your business.

Please accept my sincere apology for my inconsiderate post. I meant no insult to your opinion or manner in the way you prefer to run your own business.

My intention was simply to be a friendly colleaque. I'm now quite ashamed of myself. I'll try to be more careful when I post replys in the future to all members on this board.

Sorry!

Sincerely; Dave @ Charlotte Hall Country Candles

[deb426]

No biggie. I just wanted to clarify the difference (to me) of simply not liking a fragrance vs. not being able to really smell it at all. For those of us who smell the fuel smell, that is literally all we smell. When I smell an orange candle burning, I do not smell any orange at all, none. That's different than smelling lavender and hating it but still being able to appreciate that its a good, strong fragrance for those who like that scent. It's probably hard for others to imagine that predicament.

You're fine, don't worry about it. You have scads of knowledge and experience and I look forward to reading your posts and learning from them.