Incense and charcoal safety

Burn in a well-ventilated room

Open a window or a door while you burn incense, and keep it open for a while after. Never burn charcoal in a closed room, a bathroom with the door shut, a car, a tent or any small enclosed space.

A carbon monoxide alarm near the room where you pray is a good idea in any home that burns incense often. If anyone gets a headache, feels dizzy or sick, or gets unusually sleepy while incense is burning, stop, get everyone into fresh air and call 911 if the symptoms do not clear quickly.

Use a proper burner on a surface that cannot burn

Place lit charcoal only inside a heat-resistant incense burner or censer. Never set it directly on wood, cloth, plastic, glass or stone you care about. The burner itself gets hot, including its base, so set it on a stable, non-flammable surface such as a ceramic tile or a metal tray.

Keep the burner well away from curtains, altar cloths, paper, dried flowers, candles and anything else that can catch fire. Do not place it where it can be knocked over.

Light the charcoal with tongs

Always hold the charcoal disc with metal tongs, never with your fingers. Quick-light charcoal throws sparks across its surface as it catches, so light it at arm's length, away from your face, hair and loose sleeves, and over the burner rather than over a table or rug.

Never leave it unattended

Stay in the room while charcoal is lit. Do not carry a tabletop burner around with lit charcoal inside. Put out nearby candles before you leave, and do not burn incense when you are about to fall asleep.

Keep children and pets away

Keep lit burners, charcoal, matches and lighters out of reach of children and pets. Children should never light or handle charcoal or a hot burner. Charcoal and resin are not food; if a child or pet swallows either, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or your veterinarian.

Take care with smoke

Incense smoke can irritate the eyes, nose and lungs. Burn small amounts, ventilate well, and skip incense around anyone with asthma or another breathing condition, newborns, or anyone who is pregnant unless their doctor says it is fine. Pet birds are very sensitive to smoke and should be kept in another part of the house.

Swinging a chained censer

The bowl, lid and lower chains of a thurible get hot. Hold it by the top ring or handle, swing it gently and only where there is clear space around you, and set it down on a heat-resistant surface between uses.

Let it burn out, then wait for it to cool

When you are done, let the charcoal burn out on its own inside the burner. Do not pour water on it: water can crack a ceramic burner and scatter hot ash.

Charcoal and ash stay hot for hours after the smoke stops, even when they look gray and cold. Wait until the burner is cool to the touch, then empty the ash into a metal container or onto a bed of sand before it goes in the trash. Never put warm ash in a paper bag, a plastic bin or a trash can with other waste.

Store charcoal safely

Keep charcoal discs sealed, dry and away from heat, flame and children. Quick-light charcoal contains saltpeter so it ignites easily; store it as you would matches.

If something goes wrong

• Fire you cannot put out at once: leave and call 911.
• Minor burn: hold it under cool running water for about 20 minutes. See a doctor for anything larger than a coin, or any burn on the face, hands or a child.
• Signs of carbon monoxide (headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion): get to fresh air and call 911.

These are general safety guidelines, not a substitute for common sense or the instructions that come with your burner. By using our charcoal, incense and burners you agree to follow them; see our Terms of service. For the full method, read How to burn resin incense. Questions? Contact us.