Out of kindling or fire starters? Lighting a fireplace or wood stove without them makes igniting large logs challenging.
Luckily, common household and natural items ignite easily and burn long enough to get your fire going. As someone who's relied on these methods during countless camping trips and cold winter nights, I've tested them all.
Here are 16 reliable tips to start your fire fast. They work equally well for campfires. Watch:
Photo credit: Catherine Delveaux
Dried grass clippings work well but alone won't sustain large logs. Most dried plants make excellent kindling.
Collect dried stems and twigs while gardening. Cut into 20-30 cm pieces and form tight bundles, as shown. Use flexible strips to tie them.
Dry bundles burn in 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add more as needed until logs catch.
Newspaper is a classic fire starter. Try this knotting trick for longer burn time:
Fold a sheet lengthwise into a thin strip. Tie simple knots along it, tightening without tearing.
These knots burn much longer than crumpled balls, giving logs time to ignite.
Bark from your log pile is a top kindling substitute. Use sizable pieces; birch bark burns best but fast.
Bundle several pieces and tie loosely with inner flexible bark for extended burning, like dried plant bundles.
Fatwood is resin-saturated softwood from pines like Scots or maritime. Found in sticky branches near trunks, its turpentine-rich sap ignites instantly—even damp.
It burns hot and long, perfect as shavings or chunks. Available at outdoor stores if not local.
A trusted scout survival method (also called "broom" or "duster"):
Take a 10 cm wood piece and sharp knife. Carefully cut deep notches along it to create long chips, resembling a hedgehog.
10-20 fine notches make reliable kindling that lights easily.
Wood chips from whittling burn steadily in piles. Save them from hedgehog cuts—they're ideal for igniting logs.
Cardboard's corrugated structure aids airflow for better burning. Cut into strips or bundle into logs for sustained fire, like bark bundles.
Also check: 17 Clever Ways To Repurpose Cardboard Boxes.
The oil in chips makes them burn slowly. Use a handful for a robust flame to kickstart your fire.
Extra-long matches double as mini kindling, burning slow enough for wood to catch.
Stuff empty rolls with dryer lint for free fire starters. Light one end—they burn steadily.
Also check: 13 Surprising Uses for Toilet Paper Rolls.
Coat cotton or lint with Vaseline for intense, long burns. Works with hand sanitizer, lip balm, oil, or wax too.
Also check: 101 Uses of Vaseline (That You Wouldn't Even Know).
Dryer lint ignites fast. Mix with Vaseline, oil, or wax for longer burns. Use egg cartons to mix mess-free and portion.
Cotton + Vaseline creates powerful starters—no extra kindling needed. Fluff fibers for better airflow. Makeup pads + wax work similarly.
From your first aid kit: Knot gauze and coat with Vaseline for extended burning.
Cotton tampons light readily. Pull fibers to fluff, then add Vaseline, oil, or wax.
Also check: 85% of Tampons Contain Glyphosate, a Monsanto Carcinogen.
Last resort: Soak filters in pan grease, oil, or Vaseline for slow, effective burning.
