Q&A for How to Create Your Own Fire Extinguisher With Household Items

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Can I use a napkin instead of toilet paper?

Community Answer

Yes, anything that will allow the vinegar access to the baking soda would work.

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Question

How can I make sure only water shoots out?

Community Answer

It's supposed to shoot out Co2 because Co2 is what puts out the fire, not just the water.

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Question

How can I better understand the last step?

Community Answer

By pushing the bag of baking soda into the bottle, it will cause a chemical reaction with the vinegar, releasing carbon dioxide and water. All you have to do is push the bag into the bottle.

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Question

What are the results?

Community Answer

When vinegar and baking soda mix with each other, carbon dioxide forms.

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Question

How big should the hole be?

Community Answer

Large enough to hold the toilet paper, yet small enough to prevent it from falling in by accident.

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Question

Can I use a tissue?

Community Answer

Yes.

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Question

What can I use instead of vinegar and baking soda?

Community Answer

You can use acetic acid and sodium bicarbonate, which are available in most chemical stores.

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Question

What can I use instead of baking soda?

Community Answer

Nothing. Baking soda is the only thing that will react with vinegar or acetic acid.

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Question

Can I use a jar instead of a bottle?

Community Answer

No. The bottle needs to "pop" to spread the water, and a jar wouldn't be effective at doing that.

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Question

Can I apply this guide to electrical fires?

Community Answer

Don't use the fire extinguisher or pour water on an electrical or grease fire. You could make matters worse. It is better to keep on hand a fire extinguisher rated for these types of fires.

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Question

Are the fumes from a homemade fire extinguisher harmful when inhaled?

Community Answer

Low concentrations of CO2 (the fumes created by the vinegar and baking soda extinguisher) are not harmful.

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Question

Should I fill with 1/3 vinegar and the rest water or only put vinegar in the bottle?

Community Answer

Just put 1/3 cup (about 80 ml) of vinegar in the bottle, then add water to about 1.5 inches (6cm) from the top.

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Question

What kind of reaction is used by this extinguisher to put out fires?

Community Answer

Vinegar and baking soda react to form carbon dioxide, which smothers the fire.

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Question

How much vinegar do I need to make my own fire extinguisher?

Community Answer

This fire extinguisher recipe calls for 1/3 cup (about 78 ml) of vinegar and 2 tablespoons (about 28 g) of baking soda, along with enough water to almost fill the bottle.

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Question

Would this be reliable enough for a person who cannot afford baking soda?

Community Answer

You need baking soda to make this. However, it is a lot cheaper than purchasing a fire extinguisher for your home. This only works on some fires, like class B ones, not others though, so it's not a good thing to rely on alone. Baking soda is not expensive.

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Question

What can be observed when the soda is mixed with the vinegar?

Community Answer

Usually it will create a fizzy, cloudy looking mixture and will release carbon dioxide, which is what smothers the oxygen that feeds the fire.

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Question

What should the water and vinegar ratio be?

Community Answer

Make sure that the quantity of the water is less than half of the vinegar as too much dilution will not give a very effective result. 1:4 is the best option.

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