The Best DIY Firestarters


We just got back from our annual camping vacation, so I thought I'd share with you, once again, that the best homemade firestarters are made from dryer lint. They aren't pretty, but they work well and are easy to make.



I stuff a cardboard egg carton with dryer lint instead of throwing it in the trash. Then I melt an old candle in a tinfoil tray on my stovetop (If you had a candle making pot, that would work even better). Then I carefully pour the melted wax over the lint until the top is mostly covered and the wax is starting to bleed through the bottom of the egg carton (make sure to set it on parchment or wax paper to keep your counter clean). Then let it cool and it's ready to go.


Tear off a section of the egg carton and light it on fire (the one in the photo above is actually a pencil shaving firestarter that I made last year and we had some leftover--I didn't get a photo of the lint ones in action this year, but they look pretty similar on the fire).


Over the years, I've tried many types of diy firestarters: shredded paper, pencil shavings, crushed pistachio shells, whole pistachio shells, and lint. The lint starters work the best. Pencil shavings come in second. I'd recommend both since they are made mostly out of trash--you just have to find an old candle. Both work almost as well as the store bought firestarters.


Check out all of the blog's camping crafts and recipes here: Camping Collection.

 

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