How to Clean Wick Stones for Fragrance Lamps

Wick stones inside fragrance lamps may clog over time, hindering their performance. Clean the wick stones by soaking them in a strong isopropyl alcohol or in an unscented fragrance-lamp oil, sometimes labeled as wick cleaner.

Cleaning the Wick Stone

Fragrance lamps -- also known as effusion lamps or Lampe Bergers (the original company making the lamp) -- vary a little from other liquid-based lamps in that the fuel is alcohol-based rather than oil-based. Essential oils mixed into the fuel provide the fragrance. It's the oil and carbon deposits from flames that may clog the wick stone.

Prepare the Cleaning Liquid

1. Pour an inch or so of rubbing alcohol into a glass or plastic container that has a lid. The liquid should be deep enough to submerge the stone and wick assembly.

Add the Wick Stone

2. Submerge the wick and stone assembly in the alcohol. Add more alcohol, if necessary.

Soak the Wick Stone

3. Place the lid on the container and allow the wick stone to soak for at least 30 minutes, or until the liquid darkens slightly. This indicates carbon deposits are being removed from the stone. If desired, replace the alcohol and soak the stone longer.

Remove the Wick Stone.

4. Remove the wick stone from the alcohol and place it back into the fragrance lamp whenever you wish to use the lamp. Because the alcohol is the same as unscented fragrance-oil fuel, the wick stone is already primed and ready to light.

Tip

• Unscented fragrance-lamp oil, sometimes labeled as wick cleaner, can be used in place of alcohol to clean the wick stone. * Another way to clean the wick stone is to fill the fragrance lamp halfway with unscented fragrance-lamp oil, add the wick stone and light the stone. Burning the unscented oil helps remove buildup from the stone. This method may be slightly less effective than submerging the stone in alcohol. * If using rubbing alcohol as the wick cleaner, make sure the solution is at least 91 percent alcohol. This and less potent versions of the alcohol are readily available at drug stores. * To help prevent the wick stone from clogging, only put as much lamp fuel into the lamp as you intend to burn at once. Return unused fuel, if any, to its original bottle.

Warning

• Never use any other cleaning solution or chemicals to clean the wick stone of your lamp.
• Keep the soaking wick stone , as well as the fragrance lamp,  out of reach of children and pets.