Easy DIY All-Natural Fire Starters for Indoors & Outdoors (Egg Carton + Wax Tutorial)
A simple, sustainable fire starter recipe for cozy nights and campfire adventures.
If you’ve ever struggled to light a fire—or you just love a good DIY that reuses what you already have—then these all-natural fire starters are your new favorite project. They’re safe for indoor and outdoor use, burn clean, smell amazing when fragranced, and rely almost entirely on things you’d otherwise toss in the trash. Think wood shavings, dryer lint, cotton scraps, herbs, and pine cones… all sealed together with melted beeswax, old candle leftovers, or even broken crayons.
Whether you heat with a wood stove, love a backyard fire pit, or want something reliable in your camping kit, these little fire starters work like magic.
Step By Step Instructions:
1. Choose Your Container
You need something biodegradable or burnable:
- Cardboard egg cartons
- Toilet paper rolls
- Paper towel rolls
- Muffin liners (compostable or parchment)
Cut or tear them into individual cups if needed.
2. Fill With Natural, Flammable Elements
Use any combination of:
- Wood shavings
- Dryer lint
- Cotton scraps
- Dried herbs
- Pine cones
- Sawdust
Fill the container about ¾ full. The fluffier the fill, the faster it ignites.
3. Add Your Slow-Burn Wax Melt down:
- Beeswax
- Old candle wax
- Old crayons (yes, really!)
Pour melted wax over the filled containers until everything is lightly coated. Let it cool and harden completely.
Optional: Add a few drops of essential oils for a natural scent boost. Cedarwood, cinnamon, and orange smells amazing.
How to Use Your Fire Starters
Place one fire starter under your logs or kindling. Light the edge of the carton or wax-coated filling. It will burn long enough to get your fire going without chemicals, newspaper, or frustration.
Storage Tips
Keep in an airtight container
Store in a cool, dry place
Great to package as homemade gifts!
Click the image if you want to ship them instead! (I won’t tell anyone you didn’t make them)
