Zippo lighters are perhaps the only lighters in the world that come with a lifetime guarantee from the company. They ensure repair or replacement if anything goes wrong even a decade after you bought it in the first place. These lighters are also known as windproof and you can light them in almost all wind conditions.

Although the lighters come with a lifetime guarantee, their fuel does not. It will eventually run out. That is no cause for worry. In this article, we will go over the simple steps you have to follow in order to refill a Zippo lighter.

First of all you will have to buy the lighter fluid. It is readily available in most drug stores. It is not necessary to buy the Zippo premium lighter fluid, although it is recommended. You are free to choose any lighter fluid as long as it is not the intended for charcoal lighters. The part inside the casing of the Zippo lighter is known as the insert. Our second step is to take the insert out of the casing. This is relatively easy to accomplish. All you have to do is hold the flint sides firmly between your thumb and your finger. With your second hand, pull the casing down and the insert should easily come out. If it is your first time taking the insert out, it might take a little tugging.

Put aside the Zippo casing for safe keeping while you continue with the refilling process. Flip the insert such that it is upside down. “Lift to fuel” should be written at the bottom of the metallic casing of the insert.

Lift the backing. There is a tiny hole in the backing of the insert. The backing can be lifted easily to give access to the loose cotton inside, by inserting the end of an unbent paperclip inside the hole. Squirt the fluid onto the cotton once. Wait a suitable amount of time to let the lighter fluid get properly absorbed by the loose cotton. The normal waiting time is around five to ten seconds. Squirt the fluid again after that. Keep on repeating this process till the loose cotton is properly saturated by the lighter fluid.

Your Zippo is essentially refueled and technically ready to go. But before you can do that, you have to restore it back to its original condition. The backing that we lifted to get access to the loose cotton is known as the felt protector. Close the felt protector, make sure that you apply the right amount of pressure to ensure that it is securely in its place.

Place the insert back into the casing and let it rest for a couple of minutes. This allows the fuel to settle completely. It is important to wash your hands after the refilling to make sure no fuel residue is left on your hands. After a few minutes, try lighting the Zippo. It should be working perfectly. If not, try adding more fuel to it.

If you need instructions for replacing the wick and flint on your Zippo lighter check out this guide here.