Part of owning a Zippo lighter is refueling it from time to time. This can be done quickly and safely with a bit of practice. This process is also a good opportunity to clean the lighter, part of ensuring proper function.
As anyone who has ever spilled it on a painted surface certainly knows, lighter fluid is an excellent solvent. The lighter fluid itself can be used to wipe away any carbon or other impurities from the lighter. Simply put a small amount on a cotton swab and clean around the workings of the lighter. For the best results, pull out the flint and clean around the wheel, around the screen and around the wick and lever. In no time, the lighter will be looking like new!
Refueling the lighter can be a bit tricky the first few times. Replace the fuel in small amounts and give it time to soak into the cotton. Attempting to fill the cotton with one long spray usually results in overfill which can drip out of the wick area and ooze out of the lighter case when it’s put into one’s pocket. It doesn’t take a great deal of fuel to refill one of these lighters. When the lighter has been fueled, let it stand in the open air for a while”with the lid closed”to allow any excess to dissipate. This will ensure that there is no stray fuel on the case which can irritate the skin and which can, of course, ignite when the lighter is lit creating quite a large flame!
Refill lighters over a sink. This makes sure that there is no fire hazard posed by spilled fluid and also makes sure that the fluid doesn’t damage any surfaces with which it may come into contact. When the lighter is filled and ready, be sure to rinse out the sink and to clean up any surfaces. Of course, never leave lighter-fluid soaked rags laying about. Rinse them out and wash them as soon as possible.
After refueling, give the lighter a while to sit before putting it into a pocket. Some fluid may leech out of the lighter after it’s filled and this can irritate the skin and damage clothing and, of course, poses a fire hazard. Once the lighter has been allowed to sit, test it for proper operation to make sure all is well.
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