What to Fill Homemade Draft Stoppers With

A draft stopper, also known as a draft blocker, must be heavy enough to stay put in front of a door to prevent drafty, cold air from entering the home from outside. While no one specific material is recommended for the outer fabric tube or the inside filling material, household staples such as rice or dried lentils provide enough weight to successfully block chilly air without being moved by a gust of wind.

Dried food items stored in the kitchen or pantry are excellent fillers for draft stoppers. A bag of plain popcorn kernels, cups of dry rice or dried lentils are all viable options for filling a fabric-based draft stopper. Keep the draft stopper dry if using edible materials to prevent mold; also, do not use edibles if you have pets or mice in the home that may be tempted to eat the goods. For a non-edible option, shredded balsam from the balsam fir tree provides a fragrant, sachet-like filling for a draft stopper; it is not prone to mold or mildew even if it gets wet. Craft supply stores or online retailers sell bulk balsam, already dried and ready to use for crafting.