Witch Safety: Oil Burners
So, I have a rather embarrassing thing to confess. We've been using oil burners for maybe close to 20 years (though admittedly hardly at all in recent years), but only learned to use them correctly very recently. In fact, our incorrect use of them once very nearly resulted in a serious fire! (This is what turned us off using them for quite some time.)
So, it may seem like common sense to many people, but I wanted to share these safety tips in case any other witches out there are also unaware of the correct & safe way to use oil burners.
First: essential oils are highly flammable, so mixing oils & fire should always be done with the utmost care.
❌️ DO NOT: simply put a few drops of oil into the dish above the flame, then light the candle! This is what we did for years, and it's what led to that terrifying close call. The flame jumped from the candle to the dish; then the oil splashed, & the window sill caught fire.
✅️ DO: fill the dish with water, then add a few drops of your oil to the water. Then you can light the candle. The mixture will heat up & you'll still get that lovely smell, the benefits of the oil, and much lower risk of fire where you don't want it.
❌️ DO NOT: overfill the dish with water, or add too much oil. Overfilling the dish with water can cause the liquid to bubble & spill over, where it can still catch fire as there is still oil in the mixture. Similarly, adding too much oil can make it easier for the mixture to catch fire.
✅️ DO: leave plenty of room when filling with water, and add only 2-3 drops of oil. This will be plenty to provide the smell and/or benefits you're looking for.
❌️ DO NOT: let the dish burn dry. This is a little less about safety, but if you let it burn dry you may get a burnt smell as well as smoke.
✅️ DO: supervise your burner while using it, and extinguish the candle when the liquid is gone (or nearly gone).
‼️ If your oil burner or anything nearby does catch fire:
❌️ DO NOT throw water on it. Remember, it's an oil fire so this will only make it spread more!
✅️ DO smother the flames using whatever you have available. Towels can work in a pinch, but be mindful that what you use is thick enough to really smother the flames & won't just catch fire itself, making the problem worse (and you may also burn yourself this way!!). Towels are of course flammable, so that route can be risky at best. Ideally, if you can put something like a metal bowl or pan over the fire, this would probably be the safest way. Baking soda or sand can also be used to smother oil fires. A fire extinguisher of course can be used with caution, but they do have quite a bit of pressure so hold it far away from the flames to avoid spreading them. If you're not sure what to do or things get out of hand, call your local emergency number right away.
I hope this is helpful! Stay safe, & happy casting.
