How to light a safety match

A safety match is a match that can only be lit by striking the match head against the side of the match box. The top is usually colored red - this is the only part of the match that will ignite. The side of the match box is usually well marked to indicate that it is a striking surface. A match can only be lit if the red-colored head is struck swiftly against the striking surface. Matches cannot be lit on any other surface and the striking surface cannot light any other object on fire.

Materials & tools needed

 * Safety Match
 * Safety Match Box

Quick Steps

 * 1) Hold the safety match with your dominant hand.
 * 2) Hold the match box in your non-dominant hand.
 * 3) Swiftly strike the head of the match against the side of the match box
 * 4) *Important: Strike in the direction away from your body, so the fire ignites and starts away from you, not towards you.

If you are using the match to light other object (such as a candle or cigarette), hold the match with the fire facing upwards, and keep your hand under the flames. Flames move upward, so your hands will be safe as long as there is wood for the fire to burn between your hand and the flame.

To extinguish a lit match, simply blow it out, drop it into water, or shake it out.