Why kerosene is no longer commonly used

Kerosene has largely fallen out of everyday household use because it is smoky, hazardous indoors, less efficient than modern alternatives, and increasingly restricted by safety and air-quality rules; electricity, LPG/natural gas, and batteries now do the same jobs more cleanly and cheaply. While kerosene remains central to jet fuel and some off-grid or emergency uses, the broader energy transition—driven by health concerns, economics, and policy—has pushed it to the margins of daily life in many countries.

From staple fuel to niche: a brief history

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, kerosene powered lamps, stoves, and space heaters around the world. As electric grids expanded and gas networks matured, households moved to incandescent bulbs (now LEDs), gas or electric cooktops, and modern heating systems. The shift accelerated in the 2010s–2020s with high-efficiency heat pumps and rapid declines in the cost of LEDs and solar-plus-battery kits for off-grid lighting. Aviation remains the major exception: modern turbine aircraft still rely on kerosene-based fuels (Jet A/Jet A-1), and several orbital rockets burn refined kerosene (RP-1), even as newer systems experiment with methane and hydrogen.

Main reasons for the decline in everyday use

The following points summarize the forces that have pushed kerosene out of routine household and small-scale applications in many regions.

• Safety and fire risk: Portable kerosene heaters and lamps can be tipping hazards and are associated with burns and residential fires; incomplete combustion poses carbon monoxide risks without proper ventilation.
• Health and indoor air quality: Kerosene combustion emits fine particles (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and black carbon, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Public-health authorities now discourage or prohibit indoor use.
• Environmental and climate impacts: Compared with modern electric options (especially where grids are decarbonizing), kerosene produces higher lifecycle greenhouse-gas and soot emissions. Black carbon from simple wick lamps is particularly problematic for climate and health.
• Efficiency and performance: LEDs deliver vastly more light per unit of energy than kerosene lamps; heat pumps provide several units of heat per unit of electricity; modern cooktops offer better control, cleanliness, and speed than kerosene stoves.
• Economics and logistics: Kerosene prices are volatile; users must manage storage, odor, and wicks/nozzles. Electricity and LPG supply chains have improved, and per-lumen lighting costs plummeted with LED adoption.
• Policy and building codes: Many jurisdictions restrict unvented kerosene heaters, require smoke/CO detectors, or favor cleaner fuels through subsidies and standards. Electrification and clean-cooking initiatives have redirected public funding away from kerosene.

Taken together, safety, health, and cost considerations—reinforced by regulation and better alternatives—have steadily eroded kerosene’s role in homes and small businesses.

What replaced kerosene in common tasks

Different technologies have taken over the services kerosene used to provide, generally with better safety, efficiency, and user experience.

• Lighting: Grid electricity and LED bulbs, plus off-grid solar home systems with lithium-ion batteries where grid access is limited.
• Space heating: Electric heat pumps and resistance heaters, and in some regions natural gas or propane furnaces/boilers with sealed combustion.
• Cooking: LPG cylinders, piped natural gas, and increasingly induction or other electric cooktops.
• Cleaning/degreasing: Lower-VOC, water-based, or citrus/ester solvents that reduce flammability and fumes compared with kerosene.
• Backup and portable power: Battery packs and inverters, or small gasoline/diesel generators rather than kerosene-fueled equipment.

As these alternatives matured and became affordable, they displaced kerosene by delivering the same services with fewer risks and externalities.

Where kerosene still matters

Despite its decline in households, kerosene remains important in several sectors where its properties are difficult to replace outright.

• Aviation: Jet A/Jet A-1 are kerosene-based and remain standard for turbine aircraft owing to energy density, cold-flow behavior, and global fuel infrastructure. “Drop-in” sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) also target kerosene-range hydrocarbons to remain compatible with existing engines and airports.
• Spaceflight: Some launch vehicles burn refined kerosene (RP-1)—for example, Falcon 9 and Electron—though new designs increasingly use methane or hydrogen.
• Off-grid and emergencies: Kerosene lamps and heaters persist in some remote or low-income settings and for disaster preparedness, though solar lanterns and clean-cooking solutions are displacing them quickly.
• Specialty heating and industry: Certain construction-site heaters and niche processes still use kerosene where portability and rapid heat are valued, subject to local rules.

These cases reflect contexts where kerosene’s energy density, handling characteristics, and legacy equipment keep it competitive—at least for now.

Frequently asked clarifications

Is kerosene “banned”?

There is no universal ban, but many places restrict unvented kerosene heaters indoors, prohibit them in multi-unit dwellings or schools, or impose strict ventilation and detector requirements. Fuel subsidies that once favored kerosene have also been reduced or redirected in several countries.

Is “paraffin” different from kerosene?

In the UK and some Commonwealth countries, “paraffin” commonly refers to kerosene for heating/lighting. In North America, “paraffin” usually means a wax; the lamp/heating fuel is called kerosene. Always check local terminology and grade.

What about diesel or “odorless” kerosene in heaters?

Some appliances can burn either kerosene or diesel, but manufacturers specify fuel grade for safety and emissions; using the wrong fuel can damage equipment and increase pollutants. Low-odor kerosenes reduce smell but still emit combustion byproducts.

The bottom line

Kerosene is no longer common in homes because it’s comparatively dirty, risky, and costly to operate versus modern electric and gas options—and policy has moved to protect indoor air and cut emissions. The fuel endures in aviation, some rockets, and a shrinking set of off-grid or specialty uses. As electrification spreads and cleaner fuels scale, kerosene’s role outside of these niches will continue to diminish.

What is the problem with kerosene?

Burning kerosene releases CO₂, contributing significantly to climate change. Produces particulate matter, NOₓ, and SOₓ, leading to degraded air quality. Leaks during extraction or transportation harm soil and water ecosystems. Emissions from kerosene stoves and lamps cause respiratory illnesses and eye irritation.

Is kerosene being phased out in the US?

It is beginning to happen but needs to be accelerated. This decade is almost certain to witness the full phasing out of kerosene as fuel used for space heating. It does not follow that there is not an important role for a low carbon liquid fuel, such as HVO, to replace it.

Why did we stop using kerosene?

Kerosene smoke contains high levels of harmful particulate matter, and household use of kerosene is associated with higher risks of cancer, respiratory infections, asthma, tuberculosis, cataracts, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Does anyone still use kerosene?

Yes, kerosene is still used for several applications, including home heating, RVs, certain cooking equipment, lamps, and as a solvent and lubricant in commercial industries, but most significantly, it is the primary component of jet fuel for aircraft. While electricity and other fuels have largely replaced kerosene for lighting and heating in developed countries, it remains a vital fuel source in many parts of the world, especially where access to electricity is limited.
 
Common Uses

• Home Heating: In colder climates, particularly in the US and UK, kerosene is still used to heat homes, especially those with exterior oil tanks or mobile homes. 
• Lighting: Kerosene lamps are still used globally for lighting, especially in areas with unreliable electricity grids. 
• Cooking: Specific cooking equipment, such as kerosene stoves, still utilizes the fuel. 
• Industrial Uses: Kerosene serves as a solvent and lubricant in various commercial industries and for some industrial cleaning. 
• Live Performances: Kerosene is a popular fuel for fire-based performances, including juggling, breathing, and dancing. 

Jet Fuel

• Kerosene is the primary component of the jet fuel used in virtually all modern aircraft. 
• It’s chosen for its specific burning properties, which make it suitable for use in turbofan engines. 

Availability

• Kerosene can be purchased at various retail locations, including gas stations, auto shops, and hardware stores. 
• It can be delivered to homes and businesses. 

Important Note 

• Kerosene and heating oil are not interchangeable. They are different types of distillates of crude oil.
• Heating oil is a “heavier” fuel that burns at a lower temperature, while kerosene burns hotter.
• Using kerosene in equipment designed for heating oil can damage the equipment.