How Renters Can Get Candle Scent Without an Open Flame

Boston winters make a strong case for candles. When it is dark a little after four in the afternoon and the radiator is clanking, a warm, good-smelling apartment starts to feel like a necessity. But if you rent, an open flame comes with a few extra questions: what your lease allows, how close everything sits in a smaller space, and what you will be explaining to your landlord if something goes wrong.

Check your lease and building rules first

Some leases, condo bylaws and building rules say something about open flames, whether that means candles, space heaters or grills on a balcony. Before you buy a big three-wick candle for the living room, reread your lease or send a quick note to your landlord or property manager. It takes five minutes and saves an awkward conversation later, especially in older buildings with shared hallways and stairwells.

Why candles are riskier in a small space

The fire numbers explain why landlords care. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), about three in five home candle fires happen when something that can burn, such as curtains, bedding or holiday decorations, is left or comes too close to the flame. Roughly a third of home candle fires start in bedrooms, and December is the peak month of the year. In a studio or a one-bedroom, where the bed, the curtains and the bookshelf are all within arm's reach, there is simply less room for error.

Flame-free ways to make a rental smell like home

The good news is that you do not need a flame to enjoy a scented candle. A few renter-friendly options:

• A candle warmer lamp. A bulb above a jar candle warms the top layer of wax, which releases the fragrance without lighting the wick. You keep using the candles you already own, and you avoid the soot marks on walls and ceilings that you would rather not deal with at move-out.
• Wax melts in a heat-safe dish set under the same kind of lamp, if you like to switch scents often.
• Reed diffusers for the bathroom or entryway, where a steady background scent works best.
• A stovetop simmer of citrus peels, cinnamon sticks and cloves while you are home and cooking anyway.
• Fresh air. Cracking a window for a few minutes a day, even in January, does more for a stuffy apartment than any fragrance.

If you go the lamp route, look for one that also earns its place as a light. Collections like GODONLIF's flameless lamps come in glass, marble and wood designs that double as a bedside or table lamp, so you are adding one useful piece instead of another gadget, and it plugs into an ordinary outlet and moves with you when the lease is up.

A few habits that keep any scent setup safe

• Plug lamps and warmers straight into a wall outlet rather than a crowded power strip, and keep cords out of walkways.
• Turn warmers off when you leave or go to sleep, or choose one with a built-in timer.
• Keep anything that gets warm away from curtains and bedding, the same distance rule that applies to candles.
• Test your smoke alarm once a month, and tell your landlord right away if it is not working.