How to Clean Pepper Spray
Pepper spray is oil-based, which can make it difficult to clean off of your body as well as off any area that it is sprayed in. Using the right products can quickly reduce the amount of burning that is being experienced by the neutralizing the acid of the spray. Here are a few tips that will allow you the quickly clean off pepper spray.
- Leave the area where the pepper spray was sprayed. The oil can linger in the air for a few minutes, causing the reaction to last longer.
- Avoid rubbing your eyes, face or any other affected body part. Rubbing will cause the oil to enter the skin and increase the amount of burn that you will experience. Immediately flush your eyes with cool water. Remove the affected clothing if possible and place them in a plastic bag to reduce the risk of spreading the oil.
- Use whole milk. Whole milk is the best because the fat in the milk will quickly neutralize the acid of the capsicum oil which is the basic ingredient of the spray. Milk does not irritate your eyes, nose, mouth or skin. Rinse the affected body part with the milk or place it in a spray bottle and liberally spray the affected area. Continue to flush the affected part of the body with milk until the initial burning subsides. You may also want to consider wetting a cloth or towel with milk and applying them to the affected area as well.
- Break up the oil base of the pepper spray using dish washing detergent and water. Mix a large bucket of cool water with an ample amount of dish washing detergent. If possible, submerge the affected body part into the soapy water. If this is not possible, saturate towels with the soapy water and lay them over the affected body part.
- Apply the dish detergent directly to the hands, arms or legs if they are the affected body part and rinse well, making sure that you do not spread the oil to other parts of the body. Remember to keep your affected body parts from touching your face. Continue to wash until the burning goes away.