Waterproof Dryer Lint Fire-Starter

 How to make your very own waterproof dryer lint fire-starter, for free.

Using only household items you can make a 1 oz waterproof fire-starter that burns for 15 minutes.  It's perfect for camping, backpacking, or even your backyard fire pit.  No need to buy fancy fire starter logs, here you'll need to gather a few household items that would have otherwise been thrown in trash.

Step 1: Step 1 - Gather Materials

 First, gather a few materials from around the house.

1. Dryer lint
2. An empty egg carton
3. Old Candle Stubs (or in my case, a box of canning wax - $3*)
4. Dental floss
5. Scissors
6. New Belgium beer (not required, but hey, that's how it happened)

*Available at your local hardware store

Comments

[JanisSpear]

This is fantastic. I am going to make my own tomorrow. Thanks for sharing.

[bcavaciuti]

nice c: I made some myself and experimented with Pine resin as well as wax and the resin balls burned for a lot longer and i think hotter though it was a bit harder to light(had to use my jet lighter). i still haven't managed to light one with sparks or even matches though which i want so it can go in my survival kit and function without the jet lighter. i haven't tried putting them in the centre of a ball of lint which might work.

[eclark9]

Old Cotton Balls are good to use as well...

[ralphulous]

Another green idea is using plastic bags as to seal them like in this video. They are super easy to make and super compact

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGJHNf_gXk4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[kz1]

If you REALLY want to go green (or maybe turn green), go with bellybutton lint, used floss, and ear wax. eeeeew! :>) Now THAT's recycling.

[KimberlyOC]

Love this! We do a similar version to this one and use broken crayons as well as old bits of candles. :) Thanks for sharing.

[BLUEBLOBS2]

Awesome ible!! These make a great alternative to those expensive store-bought fire starters. i can hardly believe how long they lasted. I am currently making some of these. I have not finished yet, because I still need to buy some canning wax to finish it up. When I am done I will post a pic. I have a question. Could fishing line be a formidable replacement for dental floss? I was just wondering because my dental floss is a little it on the expensive side...
-BLUEBLOBS2

[salazam]

Every time I clean the dryer filter I think, "There's gotta be some use for this!" So I checked here of course. My second option would have been to use it as stuffing for pillows, but I think lint is too fine for that (they'd just be dust-bombs).

I also happen to keep scented candles that have burnt past the wick and I usually just put them on the furnace to melt and make it smell nice... problem is I have a floor furnace and have kicked them on accident on multiple occasion. I'm glad I can take both my obsessive collections and combine them into something useful that also feeds my pyromania!!!

[Myklknife]

I've used these for years. The longest burn time I've gotten out of them is 22 minutes. The one thing I do different is as it's cooling I add a bit of dry lint to the top to take a spark from a firesteel more easily.

[fantasyfunfaces]

Just made these after seeing your post...going camping next weekend and can't wait to use them! Thanks!!

[amandaggogo]

Most likely will be making some of these, We have so much lint!
Great instructable!

[orion4713111]

i made the same things but i used an easier method. i simply poured the melted wax INTO each lint-filled cup. after the wax cooled, i cut each cup apart. no need to fold the edges OR wrap with floss. also, you won't need to use a paper towel blotter as the carton itself absorbs most excess wax. i'd probably recommend setting the carton on some old newspaper for the pour though. these fire-starters are awesome! only problem is, now i can't find the egg cartons made from paper anymore, they're all styrofoam...

[moxiepurple]

We buy paper egg cartons from Tractor Supply for .49 cents to sell our chicken eggs in if you can't find them anywhere else. You could try toilet paper or paper towel cylinders as well.

[Aaronius]

Good Firestarter. I add sawdust as well for a hotter burn.

[jwystup]

These are A-MAZ-ING! Started the fire like magic. I mean, we weren't so much "roughing it", we were just camping out at a campgrounds with dry wood and a fire pit and these were stored in the car. But it was so easy!! When I was making them, my boyfriend thought I was crazy. But after it started the fire on the first try, he was telling his friends all about how awesome it was ;) Great instructable!

[At29035ft]

love it.

[holderar]

I made a dozen last year when I first saw the article. They worked so well I saved so much lint this year that I could make 36. This time I used leftover bits of yarn to tie them up since my wife has an unlimited supply.

the heavier the rain the more of them you use at once I guess :)

[dlarribas]

Yarn is a great idea. I don't have a lot of floss, but my mom has literally a shed full of yarn.

[shirley ujest]

I love this! I always have lint and various old candles. Dixie cups would work too.


Thanks!

[RocketST]

We've made these for years in Girl Scouts. As a leader, they're fun projects with either dryer lint or sawdusts--and used with a charcoal chimney--will get you a usable fire in about 5 minutes... Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[shadnlyd]

Love these things! They work like a charm!

[brickman93]

i made these, and had some left over wax. try rolling up some cotton t-shirt, and dunk it in the wax, works great.

[johnnypanic13]

Thanks, I'm going to give these a shot. I tried something like this with empty toilet paper tubes and lint. But they didn't work as well as I'd hoped. Maybe I'll try those again with wax too. The toilet paper tube version (sans wax coating) just kinda smoldered and smoked even when i used a bic lighter on it. It sounds like these give a steadier flame, looking forward to trying them. I wonder if there would be any variant that would start with a striking steel spark. now that would be something. hmmmmm....

[bobthebanana]

great instructable, one tip would be to pour wax all over the lint before closing it up, it would soak up a lot and last a lot longer.

[At29035ft]

Yes indeed, you want to make sure the lint soaks up the wax.  Fortunately, "closing it up" doesn't really create a full seal but it does make a helpful enclosure once the wax hardens.

[FabFab888]

Just made these but with sawdust because I always have tons around. Doesnt sop up the wax as good but burned for 10 minutes and got my fire going. Cool idea

[sisar]

So why cant we just carry a candle instead of this? it can start a fire and lights up just fine under damp conditions. nice inscrutable none the less! ~ cheerio

[At29035ft]

A candle will certainly start a fire, but then again, so will a Bic lighter. The idea for this project is to create a flame with some substance, a flame that will ensure an easy light. As you can see from the photos/video, you get a significant flame to work with here, essential to success in damp or less than ideal conditions.

[brickman93]

also, this is using materials that will just end up in a land fill if not put to a better use. i plan to make these ant take them camping.

[phthalanx]

I agree, that this is more useful to humans. However, I doubt that the environment would be better served if we light the stuff on fire, as opposed to allowing microorganisms to consume it (obviously excluding the wax), possibly producing nutrients for life.

Regardless, I was looking for a good recipe for waterproof firestarters, and this one worked perfectly.

I'll be taking these camping for sure, too.

[Tinker39]

Maybe a 2 inch piece of rope (hemp, sisal, jute) with a frayed end added before pouring wax, then sewing a small piece of steel wool into the frayed end would help with the flint/steel method.

[phillyrocks]

This is pretty awesome I got a 10 minute burn time. The only problem is it doesn't take a spark from flint and steel.

[brickman93]

wow. i used nespresso pads that had been sitting around for a year. the metal made it 100% water proof, and the wax was great. i also put a candle wick in mine to help it get started. great instrustable!

[zupyo22]

could u dip it in wax roll it in lint and dip in wax again for it to be easier to light and be more waterproof????

[Terri1ND]

wonderful idea, thank you for this instructable! Since I live in a very rural area & get lots of wind & snow in the winter this will also help us when we need to burn our burnable trash. (We take what we can to a local recycling center, but there is NO trash pickup service available to us.) I have spent many finger numbing minutes in MINUS 35 below zero temps, trying to get the fire lit. My husband has also started buying expensive fire starters, so this will certainly help us out.

[At29035ft]

Wow, I'm so glad you'll be able to put this to good use. Thanks for the comment.

[MrandMrsAdams]

I made and used these on our last camping trip, and they worked great! It had been raining all weekend, and the kindling was damp, but we quickly had a roaring fire!

[aphix]

Just made one of these, only had enough left over candle wax for one, and even then might have been skimp on the candle wax.

Let it dry, does it under my kitchen faucet, shook it out, lit it in my bbq and it burnt for a good ten minutes. Didn't use a lot of lint, but it definitely would have lit some wood.

Very good Instructable.

[Militant.Jester]

Just made two of these! (All I had the materials for.) 
Used drier lint + wood shavings. Coated in leftover candle wax.
They are drying right now. The cardboard really absorbed the wax - I was expecting it to more like make a coating. Is this what other people experienced? 
Next time I'm going to use something other than dental floss...

Going camping next week. Will tell how they work out!

[Suzanne in Orting]

Dryer lint is listed in our Boy Scout Troop Camping Supply List.  I love the idea of making them waterproof.  We're going to do this before the next hike!  Impress the new guys.

Suzanne in Orting, WA

[At29035ft]

 Glad to hear it since this fire starter was taught to me years ago IN Boy Scouts!

[PetervG]

I tried this without wax to begin with, with no success.
I then tried with wax, and it worked great!

[SMBonante]

I've made these before, and they do work on damp kindling. If you stack the fire right, a light to medium rain can be worked around. Downpours require a bit more ingenuity.

I have a suggestion for an "Improvement" that makes lighting them easier.

If you put 1" of Tiki torch wick, treated with the wax, so that it sticks out of the top, will give you a better "light point." It might also increase burn time, as the wick will draw melted wax up for a time before burning away.

[Ellenbroussard]

you forgot to say paper egg carton not styrofoam

[At29035ft]

It was previously noted in the photo tags of step 1, thanks.

[Transquesta]

Now, THIS is recycling at its finest!

[jimboween]

I want to make this but am wondering are there any side effect from breathing burning lint?

[camp6ell]

if that's a concern, use only lint from cotton/wool/silk/linen/ramie/hemp/bamboo/nettle garments and you'll be fine

[mcpguru]

Depends what's in your dryer!  I've burned lint on occasion to get my charcoal going, and never notice much bad smell or ugly smoke, but our clothes are generally cotton.  If you have a lot of synthetic clothes (fleece, etc.), I would bet the lint has some petroleum-based stuff in it.  I would think twice about smoking fish over it, but as an emergency starter....

[nolef]

I'm adding this one to the  Apocalypse Survival Handbook

[timothymh]

 Interesting twist on the firestarters I know-- candle wax and wood shavings are melted and mixed, then poured into egg cartons.

[ceramiceye]

genious.  I love hos simple and practical this is.  Usefull too, and a great way to recycle some crap in the house.  Thanks

[neonix]

This is really cool. I think one improvement that can be made is to use a thin rope in place of the dental floss, and then it can be used as a wick in the final product. Or you could put an actual wick in place before waxing them.

Very nice guide, and cool end result. I may have to make these some time.

[At29035ft]

I agree that a basic twine would make for a great starting wick.  I struggled between buying twine or going the "using only household items" route.  Good stuff.

[Oldbear]

   We pour the wax in before cutting them apart.  And I tear them instead of cutting - the rough edges light easier.  

   But, this is NOT me complaining...  I've sent this Instructable to my family, it is very well done; and much easier then explaining over the phone.

[At29035ft]

Thanks Oldbear, appreciate the comment.  I've used the pouring technique in the past but have opted for the full submersion here in an effort to secure better waterproofing.

[Scurvymcdiggle]

New Belgium? no no no brew your own!!! its way way better.

[At29035ft]

 Touche.  I know there's one or two homebrew instructables on here.

[chocobo]

Slightly confused, so it should burn fine in the rain as well? 

[neopirater]

My guess is by "waterproof", no...Rain would obviously eventually put this out. But for storage purposes...if this was to get wet, you should be able to still start it...as the wax will prevent the water from seeping in.

[At29035ft]

Exactly.  I think this starter would have a solid shot at drying some damp wood, but I haven't tested it in torrential downpour.  The benefit here would be a lasting flame instead of working with wet kindling.

[Housedog]

 I'm surprised you could accomplish anything after 6 New Belgium beers!

[Rowan_Winterhaven]

 Yikes!  Was that enough paper towel to keep the wax off of your lovely counter tops?  I love this fire-starter idea!  Now I have something to do with the bags of dryer lint my big family can produce.  lol

[johnny3h]

I've done this in a slightly differnet way for years.  I did everything the same, but without the egg carton or dental floss.

I tied balls of dryer lint with ordinary string and then coated them in wax.

Also,  we have much more dryer lint than needed, so...

Excess dryer lint can be spread around the yard for the birds to collect for use a soft lining in their nests.  I have seen all our wide variety of birds collecting it.

[rootyb]

 From the lifehacker comments section:


"Somebody over on Instuctables left a comment on Step 8 stating that you can leave dryer lint out for the birds to collect for their nests. This is a Very Bad Idea. When it rains, the dryer lint turns into a sticky goop that instead of insulating eggs / babies actually wicks heat away from them. Not only that, it's also full of all sorts of nastiness from laundry chemicals. Bad, bad, bad. Somebody with an Instructables account please go correct him."

I've now done so.

[jimboi$best]

 I've made some of these, and they're great. My problem is that I prefer to start my fires with flint and steel, and these fire starters in the instructable  need more of a sustained flame(lighter/match).  I prefer charcloth if anybody's curious. Waaaay easier to light paper.

[Biggsy]

Great project for my scouts me thinks... welldone at gettign your first I'ble featured... greatstuff

[HEY YOU]

ME thinks that your scouts need not make these firestarters so big - since you have taught them to prepare a tinder bundle and only use one match, they would be able to make use of much smaller versions of these..... less weight for firestarters means more S'Mores fixins.......

Cheers

[At29035ft]

So great to hear, my first attempt at these fire-starters was actually a summer project from our scoutmasters.  I'm stoked that you're keeping that tradition alive.

[Zetheros]

This reminds me of the time when I had a large slab of wax that was left over from making homemade candles. We had to get rid of an enormous pile of dried thistles and other dry, dead foliage. I set the slab of wax (about the size and thickness of a dinner plate) in the middle of the pile, and lit it up. That fire lasted for a good 20-25 minutes.

Ingenious instructable by the way, although it seems in the video you already need a strong fire source.

[EmmettO]

 I melt my wax in a old crock pot. You could do it in a glass jar in the crock pot (or slow cooker) to keep it clean if you aren't planning on doing this often. I melt wax to make molds, so I have a big crock pot full of wax.

[Ralthom]

Great idea. I just made a batch of these, and they work perfectly. I did not have an egg carton, so I cut up a paper bag in little squares and folded the paper " wonton" style with the lint inside, some cotton twine to tie it off, and a quick dip in the wax. I started one while it was fairly windy with a single match. If you tear the corner a bit it lights quicker. My test starter burned for a total of 23 minutes, 15 minutes of which had a very hot 6- 8 inch flame. This out performs any other firestarters I have made or purchased.  I will still carry a film cannister with petroleum cotton balls, but I will always have a few of these in my pack just in case!! Has anyone tried using one to boil water, ala a home made Esbit tab??

[mrskeebler]

In my family, we call these "cheaters". If you use dryer sheets, add them to the lint too. I make them with egg cartons & also tubes from toilet paper or paper towels. Add scrap paper to tubes as part of the filler.  I like the idea of adding the sting!

[crabber]

Easier to Light ---
If you tear part of the cardboard outside, exposing some of the fibers and pull them so they stand out, it is infinitely easier to light.  The fibers act like a wick and it all starts burning like a candle and then spreading.  You can also use natural fiber twine or thick string, making sure it gets well soaked with wax and you can light that like a candle wick.

[star folder]

Not only do I do a whole dozen at a time, I do several, placing the egg portion into the lid of the next one, usually doing 8 or 10 dozen starters.  I however, use sawdust as the filler.  If you or your husband doesn't do woodworking, ask, and someone will gladly give you sawdust.  I think it also burns longer - as it is wood.  When the wax starts to show through the sides of the egg compartments, then it is fully saturated.  When completely cooled, I put one dozen into a empty bread wrapper, adding some matches that have had their heads dipped into the wax, allowed to cool, and put into a empty Rx container.  In a bag you are set for many fires.  Doing as many as I do, I only n eed to make this mess once ever few years.  They even work in the snow!

[NatureGeek24]

Nice!  It's just now getting back to camping season here.
Using a tray underneath, like an old cookie sheet, I use two egg cartons- one paper and one foam.  Place the paper inside the foam, fill with dryer lint, then pour the wax into the egg cups.  Once dried I peel the  foam one off and cut the starters apart.
(I also use O'Doul's Amber instead of New Belgium ;-p)

[wildone_uk]

hi, guys
i will use this when we camping this year i live in the uk and love this site,
wishing all our brothers the very best laurence

[cglaguna]

any issues with breathing burning polyester, rayon, nylon and other synthetic fibers?

[Shiftlock]

Probably not a good idea, but the vast majority of dryer lint comes from cotton garments.  Synthetic materials don't produce much lint at all, in comparison.  Plus, since these are used outdoors, the risk of inhaling fumes from the relatively small flame is practically nil.

[pyroninja21]

couldent you use rubbing alcohol insted of bear ?

[Shiftlock]

Bear?....  BEAR!

[Holden_vy_s]

If you actually read the Instructable, you will realize that the beer in the contents list was actually a joke.

[repeet13]

it wasnt a joke! it was a consumable, consumed by the craftsman during the making.  and no, dont consume rubbing alcohol ;), altough if youre cool you can do shots of everclear

[Holden_vy_s]

Are you condoning that we should be around fire, boiling water and hot wax while under the influence of alcohol?

[repeet13]

im not gonna say no, but I'm not taking responsibility for anything you do while under the influence, or, while around fire :P

[xd12c]

I like the idea for the double boiler. When we made them, we melted the wax IN the pan directly & had to watch carefully to avoid a flash fire. Another method (if you don't get cardboard egg cartons) is to roll the lint in a few sheets of newspaper, tie the roll ever 2 inches with twine or cotton string, cut & then dip. Leaving the waxed string also gives you a nice wick.
i found the cotton string in the hardware section at Target, but butchers twin will also work. Most supermarkets also carry the parafin wax.

[circuitmansteve]

My grandmother provides partially used candles from church. They replace them after there about half burned. That turns this into a completely recycled materials project.

[danielemur]

It seemed like it took a little bit to light it in the video. When using a match outside you might need it to catch fire quicker. do you have any suggestions to make it light quicker?

[Entropy512]

If you use the same procedure with a rolled up paper towel (but don't roll up the ends too tightly), the ends are very easy to light.

I don't know how effective it would be as a firestarter on its own though, I haven't had time to test my new batch.  I decided to make a few after having trouble lighting paper-cup-plus-lint starters that was solved by lighting my scrap paper towel that had been soaked in wax...

Something that might work is to tie up a bit of lint into a paper pocket with some loose ends, instead of the cardboard egg cartons.  I haven't tried this approach though.

Also, in my case I allowed the wax to heat up to the limit of the boiling water - this resulted in smoother flowing wax, and less excess soaked into everything.  Excess wax means more fuel but more difficulty lighting.  (I learned this the hard way by pouting extra wax into some paper cup starters...)

[At29035ft]

A single match will light the fire-starter effectively.  If your concern is from a survival standpoint, I'd recommend you purchase a mini Bic lighter.  At less than an ounce, it will certainly produce more fires than  set of matches and will even recover from water contact.

[555mst555]

nice....takes a bit long to light up but it's waterproof....so i guess it makes up for the time taken to light it......other than that great i'bles

[Rainey]

Nice work on your first post.
It would have to be Bass Ale for me...plus rubbing alcohol has a nasty after taste.

[tazdev]

This looks simple enough for me to try with my sons yet also a practical skill to know. We live in an apartment complex and the laundromat has a policy to throw out the dryer lint so there is always a garbage can filled with the stuff. WHOOOHOOO!!

[ERCBIENG]

 Very cool!  I like the concept of tie them together.. Whenever I have used them i just leave the carton open.  These fire starters are amazing for hiking and backpacking

[kfr1sby]

 Fantastic! One question, does the wax stay behind once the fire is out? If I use these in an indoor fireplace, will I have to scrape wax off of the bottom of the fireplace?

[At29035ft]

 You shouldn't have any problems with excess wax.  The heat from any size fire will burn it down to nothing more than a bit of ash (as seen in my last photo).

[mitchell12]

Whenever I hike or camp I actually dunk them in water once my main fire is lit, After they dry off you can relight it all over again! Great for saving weight and especially in damp areas.

[At29035ft]

 Excellent idea on conserving resources.  I'll have to try that next time I'm back-country.

[kfr1sby]

 Awesome! Thanks for the reply!

[Truehart]

Also, something I learned a couple years ago (and I might just be expressing my ignorance in the ways of fire) was that in candles the wax is actually the main fuel for the flame, not the wick.  Indeed, the wax melts first, but that's just part of the process of turning it to a gas for the combustion.  The wick just gets things started.  Something cool about it is that the smoke coming off the candle after it's extinguished is gaseous wax and you can actually relight the candle just by lighting that smoke.  Try it, I did :D

[srilyk]

 That's actually a ridiculously fun trick to do with birthday (or other) candles. You light two candles and blow one out. Hold the extinguished candle below the other candle and it will light. I think 4-6 inches was the max I ever relit from. Too much fun!

[zeffer02]

 Would the fire-starters catch fire just as easily with matches?

[At29035ft]

 Yes indeed, the lighter was used for convenience rather than necessity.  I'd also point you to my earlier response to danielemur's comment.

[elelove]

Good Performance~,It's useful and beautiful

[arclady]

 We have been using these for quite a while as firestarters in our fireplace. When we ran out of cardboard egg cartons, I used toilet paper rolls, and stuffed those full of lint. I stand them up in an old silicone ice cube tray and pour wax into the center of the lint, turn it over and do it again until the cardboard is fairly well soaked. Then I put them in the frig on their side. When they are cool, I whack them in quarters with my cleaver. My husband also started rolling corrugated cardboard and tying them shut and we soak those, too. MUCH better than the starter kindle wood that  sooted up our flue.These also use less paraffin than the toilet rolls or the egg cartons. And no, there is no residue or ANYTHING left in the fireplace.

[polycam]

Very nice tutorial and also very uselful! I will use this on my next camping trip. Thank you