Homemade Fire Starters

Ah, the crisp fall air is here and it's time to light some fires!

Did you know you can make your own herbal fire starters by upcycling bits that you have lying around the house? It's a fun and fragrant process!

You will need a cardboard egg carton, dried herbs, old candle wax, and a base kindling material like dryer lint or sawdust. This simple project creates a slow-burning, pleasant-smelling tool to light fireplaces, campfires, or grills. 

Supply Checklist

• Cardboard egg carton (only): Never use Styrofoam or plastic, as they melt and release toxic fumes.
• Dried herbs: Rosemary, thyme, sage, lavender, pine needles, or bay leaves work excellently, but really anything will do!
• Base kindling: Clothes dryer lint, wood shavings, shredded paper, or sawdust.
• Wax: Leftover stubs from old candles, crayons, beeswax, or paraffin wax.
• Equipment: A pot and an old metal tin can or glass bowl (to build a double boiler) and melt the wax.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the Wax Double Boiler

Wax should never be melted directly over a flame due to fire risks. Fill a small pot with a few inches of water and place your wax inside an old tin can or a heat-safe bowl on top of the pot. Turn the stove to medium-low heat to slowly melt the wax via steam.

2. Pack the Egg Carton

While the wax melts, lay out your cardboard egg carton. 

• Place a small pinch of dryer lint, sawdust, or wood shavings into the bottom of each egg cup to serve as an absorbent fuel base.
• Pack a generous amount of your dried herbs on top of the base. You can also add cinnamon sticks or dried citrus peels for a better aroma. Keep the materials relatively level with the top edges of the cups.

3. Pour the Wax

Carefully pull the melted wax off the stove using an oven mitt. Slowly pour the wax over the herbs and kindling in each individual egg cup. You do not need to fill the cups to the brim; just pour enough wax to coat and saturate the dry materials so they lock firmly together. 

4. Cool and Separate

Let the egg carton sit undisturbed until the wax completely cools and solidifies, which usually takes 1 to 2 hours. Once hardened, use scissors or your hands to cut or tear the egg carton into 12 individual fire starter cups. 

How to Use Them

When you are ready to build a fire, place one or two individual herbal cups at the base of your firepit or wood stove. Arrange your kindling sticks or logs in a crisscross or "log cabin" pattern directly over the cups, ensuring there is plenty of ventilation. Light the cardboard edge of the egg cup with a match. The wax-soaked kindling and herbs will burn steadily for 7 to 10 minutes, giving your larger logs ample time to catch fire.