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How to use bioethanol fuel

Updated: 23 October 2026

The risky moment is the refill, not the first light. UK fire services say most bioethanol accidents happen when people top up a burner that is still hot. This is how to use bioethanol fuel from a shop-bought bottle: wait until it is cold, pour only to the mark, light at arm's length, snuff the flame, and store the spare fuel away from the fire. If the manual states a longer wait, follow the manual. Bottle choice sits in the [bioethanol comparison](/hub/diy-supplies/bioethanol). Nothing here is a method for making fuel. Peter F. did not run a burn test. If you buy through a link, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The risky moment is the refill, not the first light. UK fire services say most bioethanol accidents happen when people top up a burner that is still hot.

Our top picks

B2C B2C EcoLine 1 litre

Best overall

B2C B2C EcoLine 1 litre
8.3/10about £7.99
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Green Haven Green Haven 12 litres

Best value

Green Haven Green Haven 12 litres
7.6/10about £42.49
View offer
Green Haven Green Haven 2 litres

Alternative

Green Haven Green Haven 2 litres
7.2/10about £11.49
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Wait until the burner is cold
  2. 2.Pour only to the mark
  3. 3.Light, watch and extinguish
  4. 4.Where the bottle lives afterwards
  5. 5.The order that matters

Wait until the burner is cold

Devon and Somerset says wait at least 15 minutes after the flame has gone out before you add fuel. That is a floor, not a universal timer. RoSPA says the highest risk is refuelling a burner that still holds heat, even when you cannot see a flame. Some manuals, including Chesneys, say 30 minutes. If yours is longer, follow it. Keep the bottle capped until you pour. Do not top up a flame that is still going. Methylated spirits, gel, white spirit and petrol are not stand-ins, which bioethanol vs methylated spirits sets out. Ventilation indoors is separate, on bioethanol fuel indoor.

Pour only to the mark

Fill to the maximum line and stop. Devon and Somerset say wipe any spill and let the surface dry before you light. Do not light a puddle to burn it off. EcoLine’s listing names a safety nozzle, and at least one reviewer found the squeeze bottle awkward, so pour slowly. Shared Green Haven reviews mention a pour cap with a small hole, and caps that spin and will not unscrew. If the cap will not come off, stop and contact the seller. Do not pierce it or decant into a jug. Cap the bottle as soon as you have poured.
B2C B2C EcoLine 1 litre

Testsieger

B2C B2C EcoLine 1 litre
8.3/10about £7.99
View offer

Light, watch and extinguish

Light at arm's length with a long-reach lighter, as Greater Manchester advises, so your hand is not over the opening. RoSPA says not to leave the fire unattended. A flame can be hard to see in daylight, so a burner that looks out can still be alight. Warwickshire’s advice is to use the snuffer rather than blowing. Do not throw water on the burner to finish the evening. If the flame will not go out with the supplied tool, get everyone out and call the fire service. Then wait at least the Devon and Somerset 15 minutes, longer if the manual says so, before any further fuel.

Where the bottle lives afterwards

Devon and Somerset say store the fuel cool, away from children and ignition sources. A capped bottle in a shed or a high cupboard fits. The mantelpiece, a sunny conservatory, or the hearth does not. A child-proof cap on the Green Haven 12 litre features does not replace that. Excise Notice 473 allows completely denatured alcohol for heating and lighting, and it forbids purifying or redistilling it. Do not strengthen a bottle or mix it with methylated spirits. If someone feels unwell, put the flame out if you can do it safely and get fresh air. Warwickshire lists headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion and breathlessness.

The order that matters

Wait until the burner is cold, pour only to the mark, wipe a spill, light with a long lighter, and extinguish with the snuffer. If the manual’s cool-down is longer than 15 minutes, the manual wins. If the flame will not go out with the supplied tool, get people out and call the fire service. The spare bottle stays capped, cool and away from the hearth.

Common questions

How do I refill without starting a fire?
Wait until the flame has been out and the burner is cold, then pour only to the maximum line and wipe any spill before you light. Devon and Somerset say most accidents happen at the top-up. Do not add fuel to a flame that is still burning, and do not leave the bottle open beside the hearth. Use the liquid the appliance manual names.
How long should I wait after the flame goes out?
Devon and Somerset give at least 15 minutes so the burner can cool. That is a floor, not a maximum wait. Some manuals, including Chesneys, say 30 minutes before refuelling. If your manual states a longer time, use that. If you can still feel heat, wait longer than either number.
Can I blow the flame out?
Warwickshire’s advice is to use the snuffer rather than blowing. A bioethanol flame can be faint, and blowing may not put it out. Use the tool supplied with the burner. If the flame will not go out, get people out of the room and call the fire service rather than improvising.
How long does a litre last?
It depends on the burner. EcoLine reviews include about 3 to 5 hours from a litre in a fireplace, about 2 hours for other people, and about 10 minutes in one small decorative cylinder filled to the line. Green Haven reviewers also say some burners use the fuel quickly. There is no single runtime for these bottles.
Where should the spare bottle sit?
Somewhere cool, capped, and out of children’s reach, away from the fire and other ignition sources. That is the storage line from Devon and Somerset. A shelf beside the burner, a sunny windowsill, or an open bottle ready for later fails that line. Fit the cap as soon as you have poured.
What do I do with a spill?
Wipe it up and let the surface dry before you light, which is what Devon and Somerset advise. Do not light the spill to clear it, and do not refill again until the burner is cold. If fuel has spread beyond a small drip, keep any flame away and ventilate the room until it has gone.

Related pages

Bioethanol fuel buying guide

Bioethanol

Best bioethanol fuel UK for fireplaces and burners

Bioethanol fuel indoor: ventilate and fit a CO alarm

Bioethanol vs methylated spirits for a UK fireplace

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Shelf prices in the product files were stored on 19.10.2026.

  1. HMRC, Excise Notice 473 (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  2. RoSPA: bioethanol fires (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  3. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service: bioethanol burners (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  4. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service: bio-ethanol and gel fuels (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  5. Warwickshire County Council: safe home heating (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  6. EkoFuel: bioethanol fuel FAQs (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  7. EkoFuel: 1 litre bioethanol fireplace fuel (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  8. Fireplace World: 12 x 1 litre bioethanol (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  9. Fisher Scientific UK ethanol SDS (laboratory ethanol) (retrieved 19.10.2026)