Winter Wonder Firestarter

by Linn Andreassen Talge

3 Materials

30 Minutes

Medium

Life has been crazy, sad, scary and super tough the last month, so I needed to take my own happiness in my own hands, and making stuff ALWAYS makes me happy, and when the stuff I make also is something I need: Voilà, NIRVANA!!

winter wonder firestarter, crafts, fireplaces mantels

I've been making these firestarters for years, they work just as well in my fireplace as for starting an outdoor fire in the pit. They burn for about 6 minutes, and I've never ever had to light the match more than once to get the fire started with these babies!!

You'll need empty egg cartons...

...lint... Yes, LINT... from the dryer... I save all my lint in a box, and when it's full, it's time to make more firestarters!!!

Two pots, one half full with boiling water, the other one small enough to fit inside, and touch the boiling water without it overflowing...

...and put old candles to melt in the top one...

While you wait for the candles to melt, fill the carton with lint. Put as much lint in as you can, until all compartments are full.

Let the candles melt on low heat (just below boiling).

Then, carefully pour it over the lint and let it soak through... I keep a newspaper under the carton, so the spillings are easy to remove. If you get melted candle wax all over your kitchen, believe me: It sucks!!! (been there, done that, probably doing it again...)

Wait for the wax to cool down, but let the carton still be warm to the touch when you take a bread knife and saw the pieces apart, letting one "egg" compartment be one firestarter. I make sure all of them get a little of the carton peeping up because that is where I light them...

See what I mean? The one I'm pointing at? And also give them a good squeeze so the lint that may not have been soaked all the way through also gets in the warm wax (make sure the wax isn't still runny, otherwise this part will be quite painful and hot!!!!!)

So there you have it: 12 new fires will be mine to enjoy this winter!!!

I know some people are afraid to use wax in their fireplace, but since mine is a newer built-in model and burns "clean", there is no problem using these, but if you have an open fireplace, and are unsure if it's okay to use wax, I would recommend you ask someone who knows more about that stuff than I do. But my grandmother always used a little candle, an almost finished one, put it at the bottom of the fireplace, lit it, and placed small pieces of firewood over in a tipi shape to start her fireplace, so it's an old family trick I've just improved... ;-) I know some make firestarters from dipping pinecones in wax and add a wick, they look prettier than mine, but mine are way more frugal, hehe...

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Frequently asked questions

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3 of 5 questions

Lkmaners on Sep 25, 2016
Anything else I can use besides egg cartons? Only Styrofoam ones here..

13
Snowcat60 on Sep 25, 2016
Can you use leftover wax from scented wax melts?

6
Raynay127 on Sep 26, 2016
What's the purpose of the wax?

5

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2 of 66 comments

Cindylouchak1 on Oct 31, 2016
I stuff toilet roll crimp one end,pour in wax let dry.Band saw width required.Place in zip lock,camping,cook stove.first aid kit.

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Rob12232568 on Nov 16, 2016
Im loving this

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