Sand and Paws autumnal pet friendly odor neutralising candle

For me, autumn is all about cosy blankets, chunky knits and fall-scented candles, and the perfect place to get them all under one roof, is Homesense and TK Maxx.

Last year, I picked up a gorgeous festive candle from Sand and Paws – Sand and Fog’s sister company – and it was so gorgeous, I had to go back in time to bag an autumn candle.

Usually priced at $20, sold in the US, you can pick up a large Sand and Paws candle in TK Maxx and Homesense for £7.99. I’ve found they tend to be the previous years’ stock, but they’re amazing value for money and smell beautiful. You can get smaller ones for £4.99 too, but the bigger ones have a longer burn time, of course.

These Sand and Paws candles are 100% dog friendly, using soy wax, non-toxic fragrance oils and cotton wicks for a clean, pet-safe burn. The brand was launched by Californian company Sand and Fog, by three women who ‘love candles and their dogs’.

The fragrance that I picked up was Haunted Harvest, which sounded perfect for September and October as we head into spooky season. Whilst I’ve been unable to find the exact fragrance notes online, I suspect it’s similar to this year’s Autumn Harvest candle, with hints of cloves, cinnamon and vanilla. It’s really warm and the scent really fills a room quite quickly, neutralising pet odor as it burns.

The 12oz soy wax candle is in a pinkish glass jar with two 100% cotton wicks, free of lead and zinc, which can cause issues for pets. The brand do not test on animals, nor intentionally add animal derived products to their candles – though it must be said that they’re not certified as vegan.

The Sand and Paws candle comes with it’s own Halloween themed lid – ours had three dogs dressed ready for Trick or Treating, but there were lots of other autumnal and Halloween themed designs too.

On the first burn, I lit the candle on a heat proof surface, lighting both wicks. We waited around an hour until the wax had melted all the way to the edges before tipping the wick into the wax to extinguish the flame. This helps the candle burn evenly all the way down due to candles’ wax memory. Sand and Paws recommend burning anywhere up to four hours at a time, and trimming the wick to a quarter inch after each use.

We’ve since been lighting the candle for a couple of hours in the evenings whilst watching Strictly Come Dancing or Married at First Sight. It’s not too sweet or too strong, but offers a stunning seasonal scent and cosy atmosphere. Visiting guests always comment on how lovely it is, particularly for the time of year, and it definitely helps banish the smell of the Scamps after snoozing in the lounge all day.

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