How To Make Pepper Spray At Home

Pepper spray is one of the most effective non-lethal forms of self-defense.

If it’s potent enough (and if it hits it’s intended target) the stuff will stop a threat immediately in their tracks.

This makes pepper spray an excellent tool for survival, preparedness, and everyday self-defense.

And in the name of self-reliance, it’s worth learning how to make pepper spray at home.

Because once you learn how to make pepper spray from scratch at home, you’ll be able to create nearly an endless supply. And that’s what being self-reliant is all about.

First, A Couple Notes Of Caution

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1 – You’re Homemade Pepper Spray Won’t Be As Effective

Now before we dive into making pepper spray at home, I first want to temper your expectations a bit.

Homemade pepper spray works but it won’t be as effective as the stuff you can purchase– for two reasons.

First, the top of the line pepper sprays are developed and manufactured with machines in controlled settings. This gives the pepper spray manufactures the ability fine-tune the recipes to maximum effectiveness and strength.

Second, the spray bottles and trigger mechanisms are better designed and powerful than what you can develop at home. They can package the pepper spray into bottles under intense pressure. This allows for longer range spray patterns, which equals better self-defense.

So with that said, learning how to make pepper spray at home is 100% worth it. However, we also wholeheartedly believe you should invest in a top of the line stuff for self-defense purposes.

For example, if for some reason, you ever run out of pepper spray and cannot buy more because society collapsed, then knowing how to make the stuff will be a major advantage. But until that time comes, I recommend you use a top of the line pepper spray instead.

2 – There Are Real Risks Involved In Making Homemade Pepper Spray

When you make your own pepper spray there are certain risks that can cause serious injury.

Obviously, make sure you don’t accidentally spray yourself. This stuff is meant to burn an assailant, so it’s won’t feel good if you happen to accidentally splash your recipe into your eyes.

You also need to make your own pepper spray in a well-ventilated area.

If you (or anyone helping you) has breathing difficulties you may want to just buy some pepper spray. Breathing in the intense heat of chili peppers can cause severe problems with respiration.

Prepper Spray Ingredient List

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Pepper spray is made up of 2 main ingredients: Capsaicin and a liquid.

Capsaicin is an oil extracted from chili peppers. It’s the active ingredient in pepper spray. It’s the heat.

But in order to “spray” this heat, it must be mixed with a liquid.

Now you have basically three liquid options to choose from: Water, Alcohol, or Vinegar.

Water is cheaper and more readily available. However, alcohol and vinegar help to stabilize the capsaicin oil and increase the shelf life of the mixture.

Selecting Your Peppers

When choosing peppers go for the ones with the highest Scoville Heat Unit you can find.

In general, the hotter the pepper the better it is for making pepper spray. So you want to source extremely hot peppers but ones that won’t break the bank to acquire.

One of the lowest Scoville unit pepper is the bell pepper. Yes, its technically a “pepper”, but it’s not going to be effective for self-defense purposes – move on.

In order to get into enough heat for self-defense, you need to move up to at least the Cayenne Pepper. While this pepper will burn and irritate an assailant’s eyes, it’s not likely to stop them in their tracks.

The next level up would be the Red Savina Habanero, the heating unit has increased a good bit and will give you some decent time to escape an attack.

At the top of the Scoville scale is the Carolina Reaper.

These will stop a would-be attacker or looter in their tracks. The burn factor will last a considerable amount of hours. This will give you plenty of time to subdue your attacker.

Now it’s not always feasible to get all of these types of pepper but the main objective isn’t to maim, its to stun your attacker long enough to get your family to safety or deter them from proceeding further.

How To Make Pepper Spray

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Safety First

When you make your own pepper spray you will need to wear rubber gloves and safety goggles. This is to protect your hands and eyes from the oil.

I can not stress this enough – unless you are immune to capsaicin you do not want this oil anywhere near your skin or eyes.

Also, wear a mask to prevent inhalation of the vapors, especially if you are sensitive to strong odors or allergic to peppers.

You will need to find a refillable spray bottle and check it for leaks, you don’t want it dripping all over your bug out pack, purse or car.

You will also need at least six chili’s; the hotter the better.

You need garlic either one bulb, two tablespoons of minced garlic or two tablespoons of powdered garlic.

You will also need a stove or food dehydrator to dry the chili’s. If you are on the run a solar oven will work as well. The best case scenario has a stockpile already started of dried chili peppers.

First step is to dry your peppers with a food dehydrator, an oven at a low temperature or by solar oven.

Once the peppers have been dried. Add them to a blender or chop the peppers as finely as possible then place them in a bowl.

Next you want to add the garlic followed by two tablespoons of baby oil, this helps the spray adhere to your attacker’s clothes, and finally twelve ounces of vodka or vinegar, this increases the shelf life of the pepper spray.

If you are using a blender blend on high for two minutes.

If you are doing it by hand mash until its a fine smooth paste. Be careful to avoid spilling the paste.

Then you want to pour the mixture into a large bottle using a funnel and let it sit overnight in a cool place. The mixture needs to reduce to increase the effectiveness. This is an important part of the process of how to make pepper spray at home.

The next morning you will need a funnel, cheesecloth, and a water bottle.

Place the funnel in the 20-ounce container you wish to use as a storage vessel, then place the cheesecloth over the funnel. Pour the pepper mixture into the bottle very carefully.

Finally, add another twelve ounces of alcohol or vinegar and there you have it.

That my friends is how to make your own pepper spray.

The pepper spray you have made should be stored in the refrigerator or a cool place. If the need arises it’s ready to pour at a moment’s notice and you are ready to defend yourselves.

Since we have used vinegar or alcohol this mixture should last anywhere from a month to three months.

It’s Time To Clean Up

Now that you have made your pepper spray it’s time to clean up any containers and the blender or grinder.

Capsaicin is an oil plain old soap and water isn’t going to get rid of the residue. You will need a solution of bleach and water. This will help counteract the oils left behind in all the containers.

To clean your blender or grinder you will need a solution of mineral oil, dish soap, and hot water. Let the solution soak for up to about thirty minutes to make sure all traces have been lifted from the plastic.

We all know plastic holds not only odors, but it can trap oils as well. A word of caution as when you made your pepper spray wear protective goggles and gloves in the event of any splashing.

Just remember you can make pepper spray with powdered or ground peppers not only by the use of homegrown or store-bought dried peppers.

Equally important to remember is the intent, which is to get the maximum use of the peppers and garlic combined to stop an assailant.