How to make homemade fire starters that'll get your fire crackling immediately. 3 different ways to make fire starters with lint, wax, sawdust, belly button lint ... whatever you have on hand. They'll start with one match and burn for 10 minutes.
Why go to the trouble of making fire starters? I mean, that seems like a pain. You’re probably wondering when exactly would any normal human being ever need a fire starter. I'd like to address this with my comprehensive list of possible scenarios where a person might need to use a fire starter:
- When they want to light something on fire.
I make a few versions of homemade fire starters because apparently I like to light things on fire, and I like to have things burst into flames, with ease. Most of the time I just buy my fire starters at my local dollar store but sometimes I run out and need to make some.
If you want to make some too, press on and make your own DIY fire starters. Here are the 3 types of fire starters you can use as campfire starters or for wood burning fireplaces.
Table of Contents
Fire Starter Squares
Burn time: 4 minutes
Materials
- Paraffin wax or candle stubs
- Sawdust
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Chop your wax up so it will melt more quickly. Melt it in a double boiler or in everyone's favourite coffee warmer; the microwave.
- I create a makeshift double boiler for melting wax by putting a metal can inside a small pot with water in the bottom of it. Put your wax inside the can and simmer the water on the stove, gently melting the wax without ruining your pot.
2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper, tin foil or plastic wrap and then fill it with sawdust. Pack the sawdust down a bit with the palms of your hands.
3. Drizzle your melted wax over the entire tray.
4. Let it sit until it's hardened and then cut into squares.
They look just like a delicious caramel dessert.
Now is probably a good time to say don’t feed these to your children or leave them out where children will feed themselves with them. It’s not gonna kill ’em or anything, it’d just be embarrassing for you if they said they were the best dessert you’ve ever made.
I go through 7 face cords of wood every year so I also go through a LOT of fire starters. Here's my post on how to stack wood so it's tidy and doesn't fall over.
Egg Carton Campfire Starters
Burn time: 9 minutes.
Materials
- Cardboard egg carton
- Parrafin Wax or candle stubs
- Sawdust, wood chips, cotton balls, dryer lint, belly button lint and/or paper towels
Instructions
- Shove whatever you have on hand in the cups of a cardboard egg carton. Lint, sawdust, wood chips, cotton balls or paper towels.
- Chop your wax up so it will melt more quickly. Melt it in a double boiler or in everyone's favourite coffee warmer; the microwave.
- Place your egg carton onto a baking sheet lined with tin foil or a surface you can easily scrape wax drips off of.
- Pour wax into each egg carton cup, let them harden and then pull them apart into individual cups.
These suckers will light up with one match.
Easy Homemade Fire Starters.
Burn time: 5 minutes
These don't burn as long or as easily, but they DO work and you can whip a couple of them up in only a second.
Materials
- Cardboard egg carton
- Candle stubs
- Dryer lint
Instructions
- Stick a candle stub into the cup of an egg carton.
- Pack dryer lint around the stub.
- Sprinkle chopped up wax on top of the lint. (optional - helps it to burn better)
Homemade Fire starters
Make a bunch of fire starters out of an egg carton, lint and some melted wax. They light easily and burn for almost 10 minutes.
Materials
- Paraffin wax or candle stubs
- Sawdust
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper
Tools
- No special tools required.
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or tin foil or plastic wrap).
- Fill the tray with sawdust and press it down with the palms of your hands.
- Melt wax in a double boiler
- Pour melted wax over sawdust distributing it evenly.
- When the wax has hardened, cut into squares.
Notes
To create a make shift double boiler that'll save your pots, place a tin can inside a pot that has 1" of water in the bottom. Fill can with wax then gently heat the pot over low heat until the wax is melted.
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scrolllled down bypassed all comments and just saying
I have always wondered what one can do with dryer lint.
Does anyone know how to make the crackling wood wicks for home made candles? They can be purchased from a candle supply company but I want to make my own. What kind of wood, and what are they soaked/dipped in? thanks!
Kathy - I've been working on trying to figure this out for 2 years now. I've tried every possible combination from using thin veneer to just little hunks of wood cedar shingles. I even dipped it in something, but I can't remember what it was. haven't quite figured it out yet. ~ karen
Do you have a friend, partner, or other who is always cutting wood with a power/table saw?
Sweep the area when he/she is finished...........use the swept "wood shavings" along with that melted candle wax and..........VOILA! A GREAT OPTION FOR FIRESTARTER!
I just made a load of these for the first time a couple of days ago using candle ends, cotton wool balls and egg boxes.
I decided to really test them out and tried lighting a paperless fire in my ancient inglenook fireplace using two firestarters, a little teepee of kindling and some oak logs. Unbelievable! That is the first paperless fire I have lit and it worked brilliantly.
I am now a total convert and intend to try them in a kelly kettle just as soon as it stops raining!
Thanks for the post.
A kelly kettle???!!! What's a kelly kettle?! Oh! And Im glad you liked them. They're brilliant aren't they! I'll never use paper in a fire again. ~ karen!
The solution to the need for a quick cup of tea no matter where you are. :)(Which is possibly a uniquely English anxiety condition.) Getting it started can be tricky, but it boils up water on just a few twigs. Miraculous. I will make small firestarters for mine I think.
hi,i found your website last night great idea!!made.my fire lighters today got home from work put the fire on with two (think i only need one) and it took no time at all to get a great fire going!!!thanks for a great idea cheers tracey
Great! Yeah, I love those fire starters, LOL. Welcome to my site. ~ karen!
I've been collecting dryer lint for a year like a mad woman for an upcoming camping trip. Finally it's time to test this clever lil' recipe out.
Could you not put shredder paper in the cardboard egg cups, then put the broken wax in there and put the whole thing in a low oven long enough to melt? I'd think this would eliminate mess and save time?
I also make my own fire starters. I use a muffin pan with the paper liners, add shredded paper (from all of the bills and junk mail), then add melted wax on top. Just pop them out of the muffin pan when cooled and firm. Just light the side of the paper. I have given some as gifts and am always asked for more when they have all been used. We use them when starting a fire in our wood stove. The fire is usually burned down too low to easily start the fire by the time we get home from work. These are a life saver for us. My husband cleans the chimney once or twice a year and we have never had a problem.
Please excuse the question. I had fortten about the can ;-)
Wonderful posts. I have a friend who showed me something similar but used the wax from old broken crayon pieces. We used them at a camp fire and the colors were extrordinary. Just a thought. I am curious, how does one melt the wax ? Do you have to give up apot for it? Thanks for this post.
Cheryl - I use an old coffee can set in a pot of water, so the pot doesn't get ruined. The length of time it takes to melt depends on how much wax is in there. 15 minutes or so. ~ karen!
i would be really careful about using the wax or grease to make those firestarters. It should eventually build up of the chimney and that is how so many of this younger did not grow up with the woodburners get home fires started. They are great for outdoors but just how long has that chimney sweep been in business?
Ann - It's fine. There's a minimal amount of wax in each start. 2 tablespoons tops. Additionally I get my chimney swept a minimum of once a year, sometimes twice. ~ karen
Just wanted to know how to follow your blog...I've been cracking up reading your "firestarted" posts! I really need more laughter in my life! Looking forward to hearing more, thanks.
Hi Heather. Thanks! But what do you mean "follow"? Just come on by any time. I post from Monday - Saturday. Do you mean subscribe? If that's the case just go to my site and in the righthand side bar under the picture of me holding the fish there's a blank section with "Subscribe" beside it. Just fill in your email address and click subscribe. You'll get a confirmation email which you have to reply to, to confirm you are indeed a person. That's it! ~ karen
We use toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls stuffed with dryer lint. Sometimes I wrap them in old newspaper or old phone book pages so I have a "tail" to light. They work great! The dryer lint burns long and hot. (its really scary how well dryer lint is at starting fires, it really makes me want to go clean out the lint trap at home...)
That’s so stupid you’re a dope
Loved the article, I've made these for years and wanted to tell you that while your at the dollar store pick up some bags of the old stale Potpourri
they always have for sale and you'll have ample "stuff" to fill your fire starters and it'll smell good when it burns too.... I also like to add some Cinnamon and cloves to the wax when I have melted it since I particularly enjoy that scent during the winter months...LOL
Oooooo! Good idea! I like the idea of cinnamon and cloves. Vanilla too maybe. Thanks! ~ karen
Silver birch bark makes an excellent fire starter. The oil in the bark burns slowly and well. Please use bark from felled trees though. : )
Louise
I got on here to learn about firer Starters, but I laughed my #$% off reading your blog. So funny!! I love the Olsen Twin bit. Yes, I'm going to make firer starters for a church function. So glad I got to laugh in the process!!
Ashlee - Great. Hope you come back for more. I post Monday - Friday. But I'm only funny on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. ~ karen
That made me laugh. But then, it's Tuesday.
I tried making the firestarters with saw dust. I could not get them to light with regular match. Is there more ingredients than wax and sawdust?
So here I am, looking through your collection searching for ideas on how to re-purpose an o-l-d kerosene lantern and I come across this post. MAGNIFICO! I totally suck at starting fires, just ask my husband. I have been known to smoke out the house on a weekly basis trying to get our woodstove going. I JUST bought 2 dozen eggs that were on sale and now will have to find something else to hold the eggs while I steal the cartons to make me some of these! Muchas gracias chica, now....any idea what to do with an old lamp? :P
Thank goodness a friend "pinned" one of your articles so I could find you. I love your ideas. In our B&B, we have lots of egg cartons, lots of spent candles and lots and lots of lent. What a perfect way to recycle. I think that these are terrific to leave in a basket beside the fireplace (not too close) when guests want to start a fire. Much more interesting than purchased ones. Thanks!
Thanks Caroline. I'm going to try to make some today as a matter of fact using shredded newspaper. When I had my maple syrup making supplies delivered, they came packed in shredded newspaper. I'm curious to see how it works in stead of the lint. ~ k!
I work for a D. A. C. That sells fire starters . They are made of shredded newspapers and toilet tissue rolls dipped in wax all made by our vulnerable adults. And they work fantastically.
Alcohol hand gel also makes an good firestarter. I always have some when I am in the bush for First Aide and personal hygiene.
Really? Good to know. Potentially dangerous to know as well .... but good to know! ~ karen
OK, Karen, fess up! Where did you get such pretty dryer lint?
I make my own too with the egg carton, lent from the dryer and candle wax. Good stuff!