Make Your Own Fire Starters

If you have a wood-burning fireplace, or go camping a lot, having easy fire starters on hand is always a good idea. These ones are great, can be made in minutes from items you would otherwise throw away, and burn cleanly for a long time.

Supplies:

• One cardboard egg carton
• A buttload of dryer lint (yes, you read that right)
• Candle wax – either candle stubs, or paraffin wax, about 1-2 cups worth

Step 1: Stuff the carton

Stuff the egg carton cups with the dryer lint. Pack each one as full as possible, and pack it down. It may take a few weeks to accumulate enough. 

Step 2: Melt the wax

If you’re using candle stubs, make sure to remove any metal bits at the bottom. Place the wax in a double boiler with a few inches of water on a low boil. Let all the wax melt, and remove any wicks, cups, or non-wax.

Step 3: Pour into the carton

Pour the melted wax into the egg carton, a little bit at a time. The cardboard will absorb the wax, so if you pour too quickly, it will leak out the bottom. pour a teaspoon into each cup, then start again, pouring a little in, until you run out of wax. Make sure all the lint is covered in wax. Let the wax dry and cool completely.

Step 4: Break the cups apart

Pull off the top of the carton and recycle it. Once the wax has dried and cooled, break apart the cups with your hands. They’ll be near impossible to cut, so just fold them and they should pull apart pretty easily.

Not only are these a great firestarter, they also make a great gift for the camper in your life. Throw a few in a ziploc bag, and take them with you camping. Just light one on fire, and it will burn like a candle for about 2-5 minutes.