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firelighters

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having seen a post were using vacuum fluff as a firelighter reminded me of the way my mothers taught me. i still use this method for every fire i start, though not a coal fire which this method was used on. quite simply take two sheets of newspaper roll diagonally into a long tube, then tie it into a knot (like the first part of tying your shoe laces), this leaves you with an oval shape about 150mm long. take accouple of scrunched newspaper sheets with 3 or 4 of these on top and away you go
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  • EISman
    EISman Posts: 1 Newbie
    Second Anniversary First Post
    My Dad used a variation on the above that probably burns for longer than the above method.
    Once the newspaper is tightly rolled (so it's about one inch wide), flatten the tube then fold at the half-way point to make a 'V' shape. Then alternately fold the left and right 'arm' of the V over each other, making a long rectangular shape. You tuck in the end of each arm to complete the firelighter.


  • Islandmaid
    Islandmaid Posts: 6,626 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Bit of both, we save our loo roll cardboard centres, fill with tumble fluff, or just squished and empty and use as fire lighters
    Note to self - STOP SPENDING MONEY !!

    £300/£130
  • greyteam1959
    greyteam1959 Posts: 4,710 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    No newspapers in our house for 20 years.

  • Longwalker
    Longwalker Posts: 909 Forumite
    500 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    I refuse to buy a newspaper. 

    I light the fire with loo roll tubes, drier fluff and when all else fails, I cotton wool ball with a bit of acetone
  • theoretica
    theoretica Posts: 12,691 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 29 June 2022 at 10:37PM
    If you eat oranges, save the peel until it is dry (helps if you like peeling in long spirals to hang up) and they make great firestarters.
    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
    Had the whole of their cash in his care.
    Lewis Carroll
  • Cotton wool with a dab of vaseline 
    Make £2023 in 2023 (#36) £3479.30/£2023

    Make £2024 in 2024...
  • tooldle
    tooldle Posts: 1,602 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    having seen a post were using vacuum fluff as a firelighter reminded me of the way my mothers taught me. i still use this method for every fire i start, though not a coal fire which this method was used on. quite simply take two sheets of newspaper roll diagonally into a long tube, then tie it into a knot (like the first part of tying your shoe laces), this leaves you with an oval shape about 150mm long. take accouple of scrunched newspaper sheets with 3 or 4 of these on top and away you go
    Oh the memories. I was taught to do exactly this as a child. 
  • mumtoomany
    mumtoomany Posts: 1,541 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I've a friends who used to raid the newspaper recycling in the supermarket car park for newspapers for her fire. Sugar and flour bags stuffed with scraps of paper work. Any fat left on baking trays or frying pans, usually scrapped off and wrapped in paper, (grandchildren drawings). Mumtoomany.xx
    Frugal Living Challenge 2025.


  • 2Scratters
    2Scratters Posts: 1,107 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I use loo rolls (full size) and kitchen rolls (these are cut into half) filled with fluff (season dependant :wink: )or paper from my cereal breakfast of the shredded biscuits or any tissue or anything that is suited to burn. I am currently getting a nice stock together. I collect the free papers that come through our door ready to roll up too. Like the idea about the used waste grease/fat @mumtoomany that will work with the strong kitchen roll paper I currently use. We also use firelighters and are fortunate to be able to pick them up quite cheaply still.
    Anything is better than nothing-check back and see
    On the declutter journey since 2023 with Mrs SD. Tilly Tidy since 2023.
  • Have an old/damaged beeswax food wrap cloth? Cut it into strips - makes a great firestarter.
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