Hey Socrates, Vaseline is Flammable
So I was talking to my friend Eric at work, and I learned something that I’m going to file away in the Important Mental Notes to Self category. Eric is a bit of a survivalist, and his latest kick has been practicing different ways of making fires. He was talking about a fire bow and spindle that he made the night before, and happened to mention offhand that it would have worked well in combination with some cotton balls saturated with Vaseline…
Eric: “Oh yeah, it burns great.”
Me: “Wait… you mean the same Vaseline that we wipe on our lips, and up our noses, and all over our bodies? That Vaseline is flammable?”
Eric: “You bet. It’s a petroleum product.”
I immediately hit the web searching for more information. I needed to know how flammable. Among the many pages discussing it, I found this one by Jim Swenson, a scientist at the Argonne National Laboratory. He offers up the dubious consolation that, while Vaseline is indeed “quite flammable”, he’s pretty confident that it’s “not explosive.” Thanks Jim, I’ll remember that when I’m on fire.
Alright, alright, to be fair to Chesebrough-Pond’s, putting Vaseline on your skin is really pretty safe (unless, say, you’re troweling it on with a spatula). It only represents a fire hazard if you start putting it on other things. The reason is that, while Vaseline is basically a mixture of oil and wax, it’s not very good at holding a flame all by itself — it needs something to act as a wick, just like lanterns and candles do.
Because of this, the only truly serious risk comes from putting it in your hair, which you should never, ever, do. I mention this because some people still think that slathering their children’s heads with Vaseline is an effective way of dealing with a lice outbreak. Believe me, there are better and safer ways of dealing with lice than turning your children into giant matchsticks.
Vaseline’s latest slogan is “Your Skin is Amazing.” After my reading today I have to say that I find Vaseline itself amazing. Just don’t let it make you amazingly flammable.
14 Comments So Far
2. Jason wrote:
And, I dunno… if they were giant matchsticks, and you lit their hair on fire, it WOULD take care of the lice. Just a thought.
3. Lisa Weber wrote:
*trying not to crack up in the computer lab*
Clint, you make me LAUGH! Thank you!
4. prnsis_anita wrote:
Umm Clint just wondering when and why would you need to slather yourself with Vaseline and if you did do that why would you be near an open flame? Hmmm there’s seems to be more going on in the Williams household than we thought 
hee hee
5. prnsis_anita wrote:
P.S My Brother is Jim Swenson…………… Not that Jim Swenson but still Jim Swenson. Thought that was kinda funny.
6. Clint wrote:
@ Jason: Yep, lice problem solved. And I’m thinking permanently…
@ Anita: LOL. I’m just saying that some people really like their vaseline, and maybe they need to be careful. I mean, have you seen this?
7. Spencer wrote:
Wow! That’s awesome! I love how in Jason’s comment it says “sending a child to school with Vaseline matted hair will probably be viewed as socially unacceptable to the child and his/her peers.” That’s hilarious! I’m pretty sure Jason would do that to Josh just for kicks! haha
11. Trish wrote:
Oh wow. too scary. Vaseline is flammable but they recommend to “gently” HEAT THE VASELINE COVERED SCALP WITH A HAIR DRYER!! Oh My!!
12. mel wrote:
hi, my little cuz is a little fire freak, an she was havin candles in her room and was sayin puting vaseline on em makes em last and i was worried if it could set the placeon fire lol, help ppl lol is it?cauuse im not sure lol for little tea lites under burners, im not a scientist lol xxxx
13. Clint wrote:
Hi Mel, here’s a link to a page that lists some good safety rules for using candles. I think it would probably be safer for your cousin if she didn’t try to alter her candles in any way. Tea lights are cheap — just buy more! Hope this helps.
14. mel wrote:
thanks very much Clint xxxx
1. Jason wrote:
Found this on a site selling some sort of lice product – adds to the list of dangers of using Vaseline on lice patients:
People have reported both successes and failures with petroleum jelly (Vaseline). Even if this product were 100% effective, dead lice and nits must be removed before your child can return to any program that has a “no-nit” policy.
This treatment requires a thick application of Vaseline to a person’s head for one to three days. In order to keep from staining linens, furniture and clothing, it is recommended that a shower cap or plastic wrap be worn. Suffocation of the person being treated then becomes an unacceptable risk.
It has also been recommended, by some sources, to “gently” heat the Vaseline-covered scalp with a hair drier. Since Vaseline holds heat, accidental overheating could result in scalp burns.
Vaseline has “oil” properties and should not be used in conjunction with Lindane. Treatment time recommendations range from a few to 24 hours, but will probably last for days.
Vaseline is not easy to get out; sending a child to school with Vaseline matted hair will probably be viewed as socially unacceptable to the child and his/her peers.
Dish detergents are generally recommended for speeding the removal of vaseline. Dish detergents, though generally mild, are not intended for concentrated application to the skin. Concentrated detergents may pose, at a minimum, a severe eye irritation risk. Removal frustrations may lead to the use of hazardous grease-cutting chemicals.