# Is incense supposed to self-extinguish? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 8, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420 "2009-01-08T20:48:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/1 "2009-01-08T20:48:31Z")
Mine seem to go out every half inch or so…Should this happen or are they just cheap or something?\> ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/2 "2009-01-08T21:00:19Z")
Incense sticks should burn all the way down, like punk. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/3 "2009-01-08T21:35:52Z")
Like punk. Heh. To the OP: Have you tried one of those diagonal incense holders? If you’re keeping them vertical, it’s possible that the burnt-out… uh… whatever you call that burnt-out part on top… is choking the material beneath it. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/4 "2009-01-08T21:37:06Z")
Reported to mods for a title correction. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/5 "2009-01-08T21:42:23Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Reported to mods for a title correction. Done. ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/6 "2009-01-09T07:21:25Z")
I have a horizontal holder ive tried a few different ones and they all seem to go out… Maybe i just got some old ones or something? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/7 "2009-01-09T14:36:10Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > Maybe i just got some old ones or something? Or the oxygen level in the room is a bit too low to support combustion. ---
**Author:** ![masterofnone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@masterofnone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/masterofnone)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/8 "2009-01-09T14:45:11Z")
They most likely absorbed moisture from the air. I’d try drying them in an oven set to it’s lowest temperature for an hour or so. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/9 "2009-01-09T14:56:11Z")
I agree with moisture. Drying them may or may not fix this. The moisture could destroy the structure so that the stick isn’t connected well. A loosly rolled cigarette won’t burn all the way to the filter either. They could also just be cheapo incense. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/10 "2009-01-09T14:58:22Z")
double post. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/11 "2009-01-09T14:59:50Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Or the oxygen level in the room is a bit too low to support combustion. Wouldn’t that be a lot too low to support breathing ? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/12 "2009-01-09T17:01:33Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > the burnt-out… uh… whatever you call that burnt-out part on top… Ember? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/13 "2009-01-09T17:07:39Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Ember? Ash. Well, I guess ash is what you get when the ember is burnt out. ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-incense-supposed-to-self-extinguish/480420/14 "2009-01-09T17:52:16Z")
I’ve had some sticks that are either old or have been knocked around a bit. The sticks ‘coating’ can crack and small pieces can fall off, leaving only the base stick holding it all together. The stick can go out when it reaches this point.