Most women hardly feel safe walking down a road at night or during the day in a less crowded place.
Having a reliant device that will surely keep the creeps away has become a basic necessity. We encourage everyone to be safe at all times, so if you are making this for yourself or your sister, you are doing the right thing.
If you are a man who wants to keep their daughter, wife, or sister safe, then go ahead and gift them this DIY pepper spray and tell them to be brave.
Pepper Spray: How Does It Work?
Store-bought pepper spray is made out of a chemical compound that will irritate the eyes and give a burning sensation. The burning sensation will elevate to pain, causing temporary blindness.
It also targets and inflames mucus membranes in the lungs, throat, and nose. Targeting these membranes can cause difficulty in breathing and a runny nose.
The first 15 minutes will incapacitate the attacker by making them temporarily blind. The attacker will recover their vision within minutes, but the effects can last 24 to 47 hours.
The Legality Aspect Of A Pepper Spray
Before you start making pepper spray, read your country’s legal position on carrying and handling these sprays.
Some countries do not allow possession of pepper spray at all, and some do with certain restrictions.
Below is a list that will help you understand the status of these pepper sprays in different parts of the world (This is not an exhaustive list)
Legal
- Israel
- Malaysia
- India
- Poland
- Philippines
- Mongolia
- Latvia
- Czech
- Austria
- Saudi Arabia
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- South Africa
- Serbia
- Spain
Restricted
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Italy
- Japan
- Hungary
- Germany
- Finland
- France
Illegal
- Bangladesh
- China
- Iran
- Ireland
- Malta
- Norway
- Vietnam
- The Netherlands
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
Region-wise Regulations
Wisconsin
Sprays made out of pepper are allowed. Combination sprays with tear gas, UV dyes are prohibited.
The canister should have a safety feature with 15-60 grams of the product in each can.
Sweden
Pepper spray is considered a firearm according to law. It must only be carried by prison officers, police officers, soldiers, and some security personnel.
UK
In the UK, pepper spray is considered a firearm. It carries the same legal penalties as carrying an unlicensed gun. If you are seen with pepper spray, you can even face deportation from the UK.
However, there is a legal spray in the UK called “criminal identifier.” This product is called Farbgel, and it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals and poisonous substances. Farbgel is not designed to cause any injury or harm.
This spray will mark an attacker with both invisible and visible marker dye. The color of the visible stain stays on for seven days.
Italy
The possession is allowed without any license if the formula matches the criteria. One should be above the age of 16 to carry the spray.
France
Ownership is legal for anyone above the age of 18. The possessor can be charged with a fine depending on the product’s quality and quantity. A tiny bottle is allowed, but large canisters and bulk sprays should not be found near any person.
How To Make Pepper Spray
Before we start, consider looking at your county’s guidelines and regulations. Homemade pepper spray won’t be as powerful as a store-bought one.
It is a good alternative if you cannot find ready-made sprays for some reason. It never hurts to learn new things. Knowing these things will surely come in handy for you someday.
Step 1: Selecting the peppers
You have to make sure that you get the hottest peppers you can find in the market or at your home. Pepper spray works on a primary mechanism; the hotter the peppers, the more burning sensation an attacker would feel.
Test your peppers’ spice level by referring to the Scoville heat scale. It would be best to use any pepper above cayenne pepper, as the peppers below them would not work that well.
The stronger and higher the pepper on the Scoville heat scale, the better.
Step 2: Gathering ingredients
You will need pepper powder, garlic paste, lemon juice, 92% alcohol, and vegetable oil. You can switch alcohol with water as water is readily available, but using alcohol or vinegar will increase your pepper spray’s shelf life.
Step 3: Mixing
Mix two tablespoons of pepper powder in a small bowl. If you have fresh chilies, try dehydrating them with a food dehydrator or sun drying them before using them.
Add alcohol to submerge the powder; two to three tablespoons would be more than enough. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil and stir it. Your basic mixture is ready.
From here, you can add more ingredients that can make your pepper spray more potent. Add freshly ground garlic and lemon juice to the mixture.
Lemon is a natural irritant and works well with the pepper mixture. Some people prefer adding liquid soap to the mix for an extra sting. You can blend this mixture with a blender or with your hands for about one minute.
Step 4: Letting it sit
The mixed mixture needs to sit overnight to create an even more intense liquid. Cover this mixture with a cling wrap and keep it in a cool place. Don’t put the mixture in the refrigerator.
Step 5: Filtering
Take an empty glass and cover its mouth with a cheesecloth or coffee filter. The finer the material, the better. This step is essential if you don’t want your spray to clog while using it.
Without moving the mixture much, pour the liquid on top of the filter. Wait for some time to filter the whole liquid. The filtered liquid is your pepper spray base.
Step 6: Storing
Transfer the spray to a refillable spray bottle and test it. If the liquid is too strong, you can add a few spoons of alcohol. To test, spray it but try the spray outside to see the distance it covers.
Since this is not a spray from a pressurized can, it won’t travel that far. Keep the distance in mind while using it.
Safety Precautions
Avoid coming in contact with the liquid. Even a tiny drop can irritate your skin. Wash it with lots of water in case a chili drop settles on your eyes.
It would help if you covered your eyes and hands while preparing the pepper spray. Wear safety goggles and gloves to protect your skin.
Cleaning
You must have used containers, grinders, or blenders for this process. It is essential to clean them thoroughly.
Capsaicin oil is tough to remove from your regular bar of soap; therefore, you will need a good water and bleach solution to remove the spice. All the left oils will get removed from this solution.
For cleaning blenders or grinders, use dish soap, warm water, and mineral oil. Let the utensil soak for more than thirty minutes, then wash it with water.
Things To Keep In Mind
- A pepper spray should be affixed to your belt or kept in an outer coat pocket. Avoid putting sprays in a purse as it is not an ideal place to access in an emergency. You cannot quickly grab it and defend yourself.
- If you walk in an empty parking lot or at a dark place, carry your canister in your hand and place your fingers on the trigger. Don’t hesitate to spray quickly if any surprise assault happens. Keeping the spray in hand will save your life as you won’t be rummaging through your purse for the spray.
- Never walk towards the person after or while spraying the spray; always try staying in one place or move backward to avoid blowbacks.
- Always try to attack your attacker’s eyes. It’s the most sensitive area that will give you the best results. As soon as your attacker shouts with pain, try to aim the spray towards their mouth. This way, the spray will work internally as well.
- If the person is wearing glasses, aim the spray towards their nose. Inhaling the spray will slow them down.
- If you have a store-bought spray, change it every two years for maximum effect. An expired spray won’t work that well. For precautionary measures, replace your DIY pepper spray every 3 to 4 months.
- Don’t let children near the pepper spray.
Liability Issues
If used irresponsibly, you can incur civil or criminal liability. You should always access the situation before using it. Avoid using spray when your life isn’t at risk.
If you spray it on an innocent person, it will be considered a crime.
You cannot legally spray someone if they are using obscene language or look scary to you because of their appearance.
If posed with a life-threatening situation, don’t hesitate to use the spray and try to run from the attacker. Call the emergency helpline as soon as you can for further instructions.
Now that you know all the necessary information about pepper spray try making one for yourself. Be vigilant and stay safe.
Resources