Also, make sure that you ALWAYS take a few minutes to read the caution and warning labels on the bottom of your soy wax candle until you thoroughly understand them. Always follow any manufacturer instructions carefully.

0. Before lighting your candle, always trim the wick to about 1/8 inch, as this will help to keep the candle from smoking to much or burning to fast.
0. When you have lit your candle, always burn the candle until it has liquefied to the edge of the container. Not allowing the candle to do this may result in tunneling.
0. Always place a soy wax votive candle in a snug fitting container.
0. You may detect a bit of mushrooming on the wick. Not to worry. This is normal for natural wicks. Just be sure to trim the wick before the next use.
0. Allow soy candles to cool and harden before relighting.
0. Leaving a soy candle in direct sunlight may cause its color to fade.
0. It is recommended that you extinguish the candle with a candle snuffer, or by bending the wick into the wax. This will eliminate the formation of smoke. Always pull the wick back up, re-centering it, so that it will burn properly the next time.
0. Store your soy wax candle in a cool dry place. This will help to prevent melting or deterioration of the soy wax.

Soot is caused by smoke, and smoke in a soy candle is typically caused by a wick that is left untrimmed.
Smoke can also be caused by a flickering candle, which is more often than not simply caused by a draft.