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Waterproof Dryer Lint Fire-Starter

by At29035ft on April 8, 2010

Table of Contents

Waterproof Dryer Lint Fire-Starter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: Waterproof Dryer Lint Fire-Starter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: Step 1 - Gather Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2: Step 2 - Cut the Wax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 3: Step 3 - Fill Egg Carton with Dryer Lint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 4: Step 4 - Cut and Fold Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 5: Step 5 - Tie Each Compartment with Dental Floss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 6: Step 6 - Melt Wax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 7: Step 7 - Lower Fire-Starters into Jar or Can . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 8: Step 8 - Let Fire-Starters Dry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 9: Step 9 - Light Your Fire-Starter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

http://www.instructables.com/id/Waterproof-Dryer-Lint-Fire-Starter/
Intro: 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

http://www.instructables.com/id/Waterproof-Dryer-Lint-Fire-Starter/
 Image Notes
1. Dryer Lint
2. Canning Wax. Old candle stubs can also be used.
3. New Belgium Beer. Not required, but highly recommended.
4. Empty Glass Jar. An old aluminum can could also be used.
5. Dental Floss. Any disposable string could be used.
6. Scissors.
7. Empty Egg Carton (recycled paper, NOT styrofoam).

Step 2: Step 2 - Cut the Wax

Whether using old candle stubs or bars of canning wax, cut them into small strips/chunks so they can be more easily melted.

Step 3: Step 3 - Fill Egg Carton with Dryer Lint

Take your dryer lint and fill each compartment. Stuff a fair amount into each as it will prolong burning time.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Waterproof-Dryer-Lint-Fire-Starter/
Step 4: Step 4 - Cut and Fold Compartment
Using the scissors, cut each compartment and fold the ends of each on top of each other.

Step 5: Step 5 - Tie Each Compartment with Dental Floss

Using dental floss (or any disposable string), tie each fire-starter allowing for a few inches of additional length.

Step 6: Step 6 - Melt Wax

Drop your wax pieces into a disposable glass jar (or empty aluminum can) and place it into a boiling pot of water. Keep the water level low enough so the jar or can
doesn't tip over. Once the water boils, you should have fully melted wax in a few minutes.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Waterproof-Dryer-Lint-Fire-Starter/
Step 7: Step 7 - Lower Fire-Starters into Jar or Can
Turning off your burner, you can now lower the fire-starters into the jar or can of melted wax using the length of dental floss. Make sure the fire-starters are fully
submerged until bubbles stop rising to the surface. Note - It may help to use an additional utensil to push them below the wax line.

Step 8: Step 8 - Let Fire-Starters Dry

Drizzle any remaining wax onto the fire-starters. This will help ensure waterproofing. Let the fire-starters fully dry. I placed them on a paper towel to prevent a messy
cleanup. After about an hour or two, they should be rock solid.

Step 9: Step 9 - Light Your Fire-Starter

Now that they have dried, your fire-starters are ready to go. Just light a corner and bask in the glory. My initial test had a burn time of 15 minutes.

I'm a long time lover of this site and it's my first post.. The goal here was to take items around the house that would have otherwise wound up in a landfill and turn them
into something useful. Hope you enjoy.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Waterproof-Dryer-Lint-Fire-Starter/
Related Instructables

Making Cheap Fire Paper cup Worlds Best easy longlasting Fire-starter hack
Firestarters by Starters! by charcoal starter Firestarter by firestarter by by Kiteman
gruaqt Captain Molo by mountallie dryhands poiu12340

http://www.instructables.com/id/Waterproof-Dryer-Lint-Fire-Starter/
Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 87 comments

brickman93 says: Dec 30, 2010. 9:02 AM REPLY

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 says: Nov 13, 2010. 9:05 AM REPLY

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 says: Apr 17, 2010. 11:56 PM REPLY

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 says: Apr 18, 2010. 8:43 PM REPLY

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 says: Nov 7, 2010. 4:58 PM REPLY

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 says: Jul 4, 2010. 11:01 AM REPLY

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 says: Jul 7, 2010. 2:36 PM REPLY

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 says: Aug 9, 2010. 1:01 PM REPLY

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 says: Oct 12, 2010. 6:51 AM REPLY

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 says: Sep 26, 2010. 12:35 AM REPLY

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 says: Aug 23, 2010. 8:55 AM REPLY

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 says: Aug 16, 2010. 12:58 PM REPLY

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!

orion4713111 says: Aug 16, 2010. 8:14 AM REPLY

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...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Waterproof-Dryer-Lint-Fire-Starter/
 jwystup says: Aug 14, 2010. 9:00 AM REPLY
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!

zupyo22 says: Aug 7, 2010. 9:56 AM REPLY

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 says: Jul 28, 2010. 10:14 AM REPLY

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 says: Jul 29, 2010. 7:47 AM REPLY

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

MrandMrsAdams says: Jul 7, 2010. 12:38 PM REPLY

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 says: May 30, 2010. 3:18 PM REPLY

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 says: May 21, 2010. 9:55 PM REPLY

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 says: May 4, 2010. 4:01 PM REPLY

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 says: May 16, 2010. 1:42 PM REPLY

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

PetervG says: May 16, 2010. 7:51 AM REPLY

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

SMBonante says: May 2, 2010. 9:56 AM REPLY

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 says: Apr 28, 2010. 5:00 AM REPLY

you forgot to say paper egg carton not styrofoam

http://www.instructables.com/id/Waterproof-Dryer-Lint-Fire-Starter/
 At29035ft says: Apr 28, 2010. 8:24 AM REPLY
It was previously noted in the photo tags of step 1, thanks.

Transquesta says: Apr 27, 2010. 1:15 PM REPLY

Now, THIS is recycling at its finest!

jimboween says: Apr 20, 2010. 7:57 AM REPLY

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

camp6ell says: Apr 27, 2010. 9:41 AM REPLY

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

mcpguru says: Apr 27, 2010. 8:34 AM REPLY

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 says: Apr 26, 2010. 12:39 AM REPLY

I'm adding this one to the Apocalypse Survival Handbook

timothymh says: Apr 20, 2010. 5:20 PM REPLY

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

ceramiceye says: Apr 19, 2010. 5:55 PM REPLY

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

neonix says: Apr 15, 2010. 10:59 AM REPLY

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 says: Apr 18, 2010. 8:53 PM REPLY

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 says: Apr 16, 2010. 7:56 AM REPLY

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 says: Apr 18, 2010. 8:49 PM REPLY

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 says: Apr 16, 2010. 8:05 AM REPLY

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

At29035ft says: Apr 18, 2010. 8:47 PM REPLY

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

chocobo says: Apr 17, 2010. 6:01 PM REPLY

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

http://www.instructables.com/id/Waterproof-Dryer-Lint-Fire-Starter/
 neopirater says: Apr 17, 2010. 8:57 PM REPLY
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 says: Apr 18, 2010. 8:45 PM REPLY

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 says: Apr 18, 2010. 12:24 AM REPLY

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

Rowan_Winterhaven says: Apr 15, 2010. 3:35 PM REPLY

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 says: Apr 16, 2010. 11:04 AM REPLY

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 says: Apr 18, 2010. 12:12 AM REPLY

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 says: Apr 17, 2010. 6:32 PM REPLY

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 says: Apr 11, 2010. 3:09 PM REPLY

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

HEY YOU says: Apr 16, 2010. 3:27 AM REPLY

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 says: Apr 12, 2010. 8:16 AM REPLY

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.

view all 87 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/Waterproof-Dryer-Lint-Fire-Starter/