How to Burn Palo Santo

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References Tested

Palo santo is an incense stick that, when burned, emits a sweet, slightly minty scent. Some communities believe that burning palo santo can cleanse negative energies and boost your health. If you want to bring palo santo's smell and healing properties into your life, you can easily learn how to light and burn palo santo. Once you learn how to keep the embers burning safely, you'll be able to enjoy its unique scent whenever you want.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Lighting Palo Santo

1
Hold the palo santo upside down and light the tip. Grab the palo santo stick with your dominant hand and hold it upside down at a slight, outward-facing angle. Use a lighter or matches to light the tip of the palo santo stick until you notice a small flame.^{[1]
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- Light the palo santo stick over a heat-resistant surface to prevent accidental fires in case you drop it.
2
Blow out the flame after 1 minute. Let the palo santo stick burn for 30-60 seconds, depending on how strong of a scent you want. After 60 seconds, blow on the stick until you extinguish the flame and it only emits embers.^{[2]
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- The stick should continue burning embers for up to 1-2 hours after blowing out the flame. Blocking it out just allows you to reuse the stick and prevent fire hazards.
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3
Say a prayer or blessing, if desired. Many people use palo santo for its spiritually or emotionally cleansing properties. If you're using palo santo for this reason, say a phrase that gives you peace or comfort after blowing out the embers.^{[3]
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- You could say, for example, "May this bring peace and comfort into our home."
- If you're burning palo santo for its scent, you may skip this step.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Keeping the Embers Burning and Extinguishing the Incense

1
Place the palo santo stick upside down in a fireproof bowl to let it burn. After saying your blessing, stick the palo santo in a fireproof bowl with the embers side down. This will give the embers just enough air to burn without starting a fire again.^{[4]
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- Make sure the bowl is fire-proof before placing the embers in the bowl.
- Do not place your palo santo sticks in wooden or plastic bowls, as these are usually not fireproof. Glass bowls are usually a safe, fireproof option.
2
Walk around the house with the palo santo stick to spread its scent. If you want your home to smell like palo santo, pick up the stick and hold it with the embers facing upward. Wave the palo santo stick slowly around your home, keeping it away from flammable objects, lingering in rooms that you want an especially strong scent in.^{[5]
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- This process is called "smudging" and often used to cleanse a home when using palo santo for spiritual reasons.
3
Blow on the embers gently if you notice them heating up. Your palo santo stick may start a fire or make excessive smoke as it burns. If you notice this happening, pick the stick up and blow on it again to extinguish any flames.^{[6]
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4
Relight the palo santo stick as needed. If the palo santo embers go out before you want them to, hold the stick upside down and light it again. Like you did when lighting the stick for the first time, blow the flame out after lighting it for a minute and place it back in the fireproof bowl.^{[7]
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- Palo santo sticks are reusable—when you're done using one, save it for later instead of throwing it away like most incense sticks.^{[8]
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5
Dip your palo santo stick in water to extinguish it. When you're done using the palo santo stick, hold it under running water to extinguish the flame. Keep the palo santo stick under the water until it stops emitting embers and smoke.^{[9]
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- After extinguishing the palo santo stick, store it in a dry, cool place until you're ready to use it again.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Burning Palo Santo Safely

1
Burn palo santo sticks in a ventilated room. When burned for more than 20-30 minutes, the scent of palo santo can become strong or even overwhelming. To prevent this, choose a room with strong air ventilation and open doors or windows to burn your palo santo in.^{[10]
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- If you start to feel overwhelmed by the smell, blow out the palo santo and go outside for fresh air until you feel better.
2
Keep the palo santo sticks away from children, pets, and flammable objects. In case your palo santo sticks accidentally tip over, do not leave the bowl near flammable objects like blankets, curtains, or wood furniture. Place the palo santo sticks high enough up that children or pets will not accidentally touch or tip them over.^{[11]
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- Do not set your palo santo sticks near a drafty area as well, as they may accidentally tip over.
3
Avoid using palo santo if you have a respiratory condition. Palo santo has a pleasant, yet powerful scent that can irritate asthma, allergies, or other breathing problems. Talk to a doctor before burning palo santo to make sure it won't worsen your condition.^{[12]
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- If you have allergies or asthma, open a window or turn on an air purifier while burning it.
4
Never leave your palo santo sticks unattended. Lit incense sticks, when left alone in a room, can start fires even when left in a fire-proof bowl. If you're leaving the room for long periods of time, bring the incense stick with you or extinguish it first to prevent fire hazards.