A fireplace is meant to give your home warmth and a cozy place to gather. It isn’t a convenient way to get rid of household junk. Tossing random materials into the fire can create toxic smoke, dangerous sparks, chimney buildup, or even an uncontrollable fire.
The safest choice is to burn only dry, seasoned firewood that is appropriate for your fireplace or wood-burning stove. Here are 18 items that should stay out of the flames.
Cardboard and Colored Paper
It can be tempting to throw an empty cereal box or a stack of paper into the fireplace to get the fire going. Cardboard and heavily printed paper can contain inks, coatings, adhesives, and other materials that aren’t meant to be burned indoors.
Loose paper can also burn quickly and send burning pieces up the chimney. A few sheets of plain, untreated paper may be acceptable as a fire starter in some fireplaces, but large amounts of paper or colored packaging are better kept out of the fire.
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Magazines and Glossy Wrapping Paper
Glossy magazines and decorative wrapping paper often contain coatings, inks, dyes, and metallic finishes. Burning them can release unwanted compounds into your home’s air and leave more residue behind.
That shiny gift wrap may look harmless, but your recycling bin is a much better destination for it.
Painted or Varnished Wood
That broken painted chair or old piece of trim might look like convenient firewood, but painted and varnished wood shouldn’t go into a fireplace.
Paints, stains, and finishes can release harmful fumes as they burn. Some older painted materials can also contain lead or other substances you don’t want circulating through your home.
Stick with untreated firewood instead.
Plywood, MDF, and Particle Board
Engineered wood products such as plywood, MDF, and particle board contain glues, resins, and other binders that aren’t intended for use as fireplace fuel.
They can produce unpleasant smoke and leave deposits in the chimney. Burning scraps from a renovation may seem like a way to get rid of them, but proper disposal is the safer choice.
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Plastics
Plastic packaging, toys, containers, and other household items have no place in a fireplace.
Burning plastic can release irritating and potentially toxic compounds into the air. Some plastics can also melt and leave a nasty mess on the grate or other fireplace surfaces.
If it’s plastic, keep it out of the fire.
Styrofoam and Polystyrene
Foam cups, takeout containers, packing material, and other polystyrene products burn quickly and produce unpleasant fumes.
They can also melt and spread as they burn, creating a mess that is far harder to clean up than it is to throw away properly.
Dryer Lint
Dryer lint is extremely flammable, which is why some people use it in homemade fire starters. The problem is that lint can contain fibers from synthetic fabrics, chemical residues, hair, and other materials.
If you use lint as a fire starter, stick to lint from natural-fiber clothing and use it in a controlled, appropriate fire-starting method. Don’t toss a loose wad of lint into an established fireplace fire.
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Unseasoned Wood
Freshly cut or “green” wood contains a lot of moisture. It doesn’t burn as cleanly as properly seasoned firewood and tends to produce more smoke.
That extra moisture can also contribute to creosote buildup inside the chimney. Seasoned wood burns more cleanly and produces more usable heat.
Driftwood
A piece of driftwood may look like a beautiful, natural log, but wood that has spent time in saltwater can contain salt deposits.
Burning large amounts of salt-laden driftwood can produce corrosive compounds that may damage fireplace and chimney components. Leave those interesting pieces of wood for outdoor decoration instead.
Evergreen or Christmas Trees
Once the holidays are over, an old Christmas tree can look like an easy source of firewood. It isn’t a great choice for an indoor fireplace.
Evergreen trees can contain plenty of sap and resin, and their dry branches can burn very quickly. That can create sudden flare-ups and send sparks into the chimney.
A Christmas tree is better handled through your community’s tree recycling or yard-waste program.
Coal
Coal burns at temperatures that may be unsuitable for a fireplace that wasn’t built for coal.
It can also produce carbon monoxide, an odorless gas that can become dangerous indoors. Unless your fireplace or stove is specifically rated for coal, leave it out of the fire.
Charcoal
Charcoal belongs in a properly ventilated outdoor grill, not an indoor fireplace.
Burning charcoal indoors can produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. Opening a window or cracking a door isn’t a substitute for proper ventilation, so don’t use charcoal as fireplace fuel.
Related: 14 Everyday Kitchen Items That Could Be Putting Your Health at Risk
Fire Accelerants
Gasoline, kerosene, lighter fluid, and similar products should never be poured onto a fireplace fire.
These liquids can ignite suddenly and cause flames to flash back toward the person using them. A small fire can become an uncontrollable one in seconds.
Use dry kindling and proper fire starters instead.
Pressurized Cans
Aerosol cans, propane containers, and other pressurized containers can become extremely dangerous when exposed to high heat.
The pressure inside can rise as the container heats up, potentially causing it to rupture or explode. Never toss a pressurized container into a fireplace, even if you think it’s empty.
Old Furniture
Old furniture can contain paint, varnish, foam, adhesives, upholstery materials, and treated or engineered wood.
Burning it can release a mixture of smoke and chemical compounds that you don’t want inside your home. It can also create excess soot and chimney deposits.
That broken bookshelf may be junk, but it isn’t automatically firewood.
Regular Trash
Your fireplace shouldn’t double as a household garbage bin.
Plastic wrappers, food packaging, receipts, treated paper, disposable containers, and other trash can release unpleasant or harmful smoke when burned. Some materials can also leave behind residue that sticks to the chimney.
Keep household waste out of the fireplace and use the appropriate trash or recycling service.
Clothes or Fabric
Old clothing may seem harmless because it’s made from fabric, but many modern garments contain polyester, nylon, acrylic, and other synthetic fibers.
Burning them can produce unpleasant fumes and leave soot behind. Natural fabrics aren’t necessarily ideal fireplace fuel either, especially if they’ve been treated with dyes, finishes, or other chemicals.
Your unwanted clothes are better suited for donation, textile recycling, or regular disposal.
Wet or Rotten Wood
Rotten, damp, or waterlogged wood burns poorly and produces a lot of smoke.
Wet wood also contributes to creosote buildup, which is a serious chimney-fire concern. Rotten wood can crumble, smolder, and create more mess than heat.
Give your fireplace dry, properly seasoned firewood instead. It burns more cleanly, produces better heat, and makes chimney maintenance easier.
A fireplace works best when you keep the fuel simple: clean, dry, seasoned wood that is suitable for your particular setup. If you’re ever unsure about whether something can be burned, check the fireplace manufacturer’s instructions or ask a qualified chimney professional before putting it in the fire.
