Cleaning and Maintaining Tiki Torches

An essential of Polynesian-themed decor, tiki torches provide a whimsical way to heat and light an outdoor space, as well as a sharp and punchy decorative accent. Learn more about how to keep your torches clean and in good working order.

Cleaning and Maintaining Tiki Torches

Tips for keeping up tiki

Deceptively simple in form, umbrella tiki torches give an outdoor space an air of charm and fun with a minimal investment of money or elbow grease. For all the work they do in giving your outdoor spaces warmth and character, they require only a relatively small amount of upkeep.

Carbon build-up

Gas torches fed by a fuel system, such as natural gas or propane, provide even heat, warmth and light without the inconvenience of monitoring the fuel supply. Cheap to operate, these kinds of propane tiki torches suffer from a build-up of waste material produced in burning these kinds of fuel. Before use, check the ends of the gas torches for an accumulation of sooty material. Although difficult to see while the gas torch is burning, careful inspection or touch can reveal the presence of this residue. Remove it with a mild soap and water, avoiding anything overly abrasive that might scratch or damage the torch.

Oil torches

Many torches use refillable oil containers, commonly using either citronella or paraffin as fuel. Citronella oil, extracted from different species of Cymbopogon, carries with it the added benefit of creating an aroma that repels mosquitoes. Liquid paraffin oil, a product derived from petroleum, burns without producing smoke, thus providing a light and heat suitable for enclosed spaces. Whatever kind of fuel it uses, an oil torch must be physically inspected before each burn to ensure that the wick functions correctly and that adequate fuel exists. A wick dipped in one kind of fuel should never be dipped in another.

Burning man

Watch out for any object that might come into contact with the torch over the course of its use, such as tree branches, outdoor furniture, an umbrella, or a hanging decoration. Plant the torch firmly in the ground and make sure it can't slip or fall over. Also, with propane or natural gas tiki torches, make sure nothing obstructs the fuel line.