The Best DIY Cotton Ball Fire Starter (Long Burning)

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If you’re looking for an easy and inexpensive fire starter, then consider making these DIY Cotton Ball Fire Starters with petroleum jelly  They make a great fire starter because they have a long burn time and make it easy to create a roaring fire.

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Why Use Cotton Ball Fire Starters?

Some fire starters just don’t start good fires.  They don’t burn long enough to really get the fire going.

These cotton ball fire starters have a long burn time, are inexpensive to make, and store really well, which makes them the best way to get your fire started.

You can buy a bag of cotton balls and a jar of Vaseline from the dollar store and have yourself 100+ fire starters for just $2.  Plus, it only takes you a few minutes to make them!

The average cost of a small pack of commercial fire starters can run you anywhere from $7-$20.  You will save so much money making your own cotton ball fire starters at home.

How To Make & Use Cotton Ball Fire Starters

To make a cotton ball fire starter, you simply dip the cotton ball in petroleum jelly (Vaseline) so it is mostly covered but still showing a small section of cotton fibers.  

When you’re ready to use your fire starter, just light the cotton ball on fire.  You might need to light the bare cotton fiber section for it to light more easily.

You can use any form of fire to light the cotton ball on fire – waterproof matches, lighters, ferro rod, etc.

Use the cotton ball just like you would a normal fire starter.  For the best results, use it in the bottom of your fire with your kindling and then light it on fire so it starts to catch fire to everything on top of it.

If you need a quicker way to make a batch of cotton ball fire starters, you can fill a bag with cotton balls and then pour enough baby oil into the bag so the cotton balls are covered, but not completely saturated.

How To Store Cotton Ball Fire Starters

Storing your petroleum jelly cotton balls couldn’t be easier.  You can choose any container that will be easy to access during your camping or backpacking trip.

We choose to use a Ziploc bag because we find it easiest to store the plastic baggie almost anywhere.  It doesn’t take up too much space and will mold to the area that you pack it in.

Some other options to store in would be a pill bottle, mason jar, or Tupperware container.

Regardless, you can dip your cotton balls in vaseline and tightly pack them down into the container of your choice.  They will last you forever.

How The Cotton Ball Fire Starter Works

Petroleum jelly cotton ball fire starters are the fastest way to start a fire, but it’s not because petroleum jelly is highly flammable.  Actually, if you try to light petroleum jelly on fire by itself, you won’t succeed.

The best way to understand how this fire starter works is to imagine a candle.  When you hold a lighter to candle wax, it won’t start a fire.  The candle has to have some sort of a wick to start the fire, and then the melted wax keeps the fire burning for a longer period of time.

If you were to light a plain cotton ball on fire, it would burn up immediately.  The petroleum jelly acts the same as candle wax.  It prolongs the burn time of the fire on the cotton ball, making it the best option for a fire starter.

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Other Uses For Petroleum Jelly Cotton Balls

Another thing to consider with these fire starters is that you’ll also have a small amount of petroleum jelly on each one to use for other reasons.

Some other uses for petroleum jelly are:

• dry skin
• protecting pet’s paws
• removing make-up
• healing minor scrapes
• soothing burns
• lubricating stuck objects

You can use a small amount of petroleum jelly for other ailments and then light the cotton ball on fire to start a fire.  Nothing is better than having gear with multiple purposes!

Alternative Fire Starter Options

There are tons of ways to make your own fire starters.  We find that the cotton ball fire starter is the quickest to make with better results. But you might prefer to use other flammable materials to get your fires started.

• Paper towel – dip in hot wax, petroleum jelly, hand sanitizer, or baby oil
• Doritos chips
• Cardboard egg carton – fill with flammable material like lint or wood chips
• Toilet paper roll – fill toilet paper tube with flammable material like lint or wood shavings
• Pine cones and pine needles
• Cotton pads – dip in paraffin wax, petroleum jelly, hand sanitizer, or baby oil
• Orange peels – soak in vinegar or alcohol
• Wine corks – soak in vinegar or rubbing alcohol

Conclusion

Having a ZiplocK bag of cotton ball fire starters on hand is the perfect solution to inexpensive fire starters.  They are easy to make and have a long burn time.  These petroleum jelly cotton ball fire starters make for a good fire starter to use while camping or backpacking.  Make sure to throw a bunch of them into your camping, backpacking, or survival kit gear.

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