Make Your Own Fire Starter At Home | 11 DIY Fire Starter Ideas

Fire starters are part of a survivalist’s essentials. Not only can you save money, but you can also make use of the stuff lying around in your own home!

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DIY Fire Starter Ideas to Keep You Warm in the Winter

1. Cotton Balls and Petroleum Jelly

This DIY cotton ball fire starter is excellent for space-saving because it’s compact and lightweight. By coating the cotton balls in petroleum jelly, you get your own easy fire starter.

This starter’s estimated burning time is 10 minutes. For a longer burning time, make sure to leave a few dry spots and use 100% cotton.

2. Egg Cartons, Dryer Lint and Wax

Using egg cartons and dryer lint is the classic DIY fire starter. Simply fill the crevices of the egg carton with dryer lint then pour over melted wax. Once it’s dry, cut out each egg cup.

The egg carton fire starter‘s estimated burning time is 10 minutes. If, however, you didn’t save any dryer lint, you can substitute it with shredded paper.

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3. Corks and Rubbing Alcohol

Wine corks are extremely versatile. That being said, they can be used to make fire starters. Simply fill an airtight container with rubbing alcohol and let the corks soak in it.

The cork fire starter’s estimated burning time is two minutes.

4. Pine Cones and Wax

You can make candle-like fire starters using pine cones, cotton string, and wax. Tie a string around a pine cone and dip it in melted wax. Once it’s dry, you’re done.

The pine cone fire starter’s estimated burning time is 20 minutes. You can increase the burning time by adding some sawdust while the wax is still melted.

5. Duct Tape and Shredded Paper

Duct tape is an easy and effective way to start your fire. By shredding the tape, you’re essentially making an object where fire can catch easily.

The duct tape fire starter’s estimated burning time is five minutes. You can add an additional layer of cotton to increase burning time.

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6. Cotton Pad and Wax

Much like cotton balls, wax-covered cotton pads are also genius fire starters. The cotton pad starter’s estimated burning time is seven minutes.

7. Alcohol-Based Wipes

Don’t toss out your dried wipes just yet! These can make excellent fire starters. Unlike regular toilet paper, these burn at a slower rate.

The wipes fire starter’s estimated burning time is three minutes. If you want to prolong that, you can coat it in some petroleum jelly.

8. Dried Orange Peel

The inside of an orange peel contains D-Limonene which is quite flammable. By simply drying the orange peels, you get an instant DIY fire starter!

Not only is this easy to make, but it’s also useful in terms of driving away mosquitoes and other pests.

9. Dried Herbs and Newspaper

By wrapping dried herbs (e.g. rosemary, sage leaves) in a newspaper, you can easily make your own fire starter. Don’t forget to secure it with a cotton string.

The herb fire starter’s estimated burning time is 4 minutes. Make sure that the herbs are loosely wrapped. This will allow for better airflow, which helps in burning.

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10. Waxed Matches

On the off-chance that you only have matches and wax, you don’t need to worry! Coating the matches in wax will slow down their burning time.

This waxed match fire starter has an estimated burning time of a minute, which isn’t very long. A technique you can do to prolong this is by using each match one by one.

11. Hand Sanitizer

Using a hand sanitizer is perfect if you have no time to prepare your own fire starter. Make sure to use a sanitizer that contains alcohol. Otherwise, it will not light up.

The hand sanitizer fire starter’s estimated burning time is a minute per dime-sized dollop. Simply increase the amount if you want a longer burning time.

These DIY fire starters will make sure you’re ready for lighting up the fireplace or going on your next camping trip. These are easy to make and certainly easy on the pockets!

Which of these fire starter ideas have you tried? Tell us in the comments down below!

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• How to Make a Fire Starter or Survival Candle
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