Q&A for How to Make Pepper Spray

You could but ghost peppers might permanently damage their eyes.

Yes, you can store homemade pepper spray in a normal plastic spray bottle, but you have to be careful to avoid accidental sprays.

Alcohol burns easy-to-irritate spots such as scratches, cuts, and the eyes.

Yes. If you're going to use ghost peppers, though, they are known to cause permanent damage to the eyes.

Yes, but you'd but need another cayenne pepper substitute of equal or greater heat.

You can, but if you do, the pepper spray won't be nearly as effective.

It depends on what country/state you live in, each have their own laws and regulations.

Yes, this can be sprayed around your campsite to deter bears, however they have very poor eyesight, so if you try to spray them to defend yourself from an attack, this will accomplish very little.

No, as napkins are more fragile and will most likely tear apart.

Yes, although a perfume bottle may produce a mist that only reaches a short distance instead of a more effective direct stream.

Aerosol is dangerous and could cause permanent damage. You could use it, but it is definitely not recommended.

It should not damage their eyes, as it will only sting or irritate the eyes. But, the person's eye will redden for a few hours.

Well that depends on your meaning of "a lot." Put in as much as you like, but also consider what you're using the spray for, as you could potentially permanently damage someone's eyes. A Scoville Hotness Meter may help you.

Yes, you can. While vodka won't be as effective as the 92 percent stuff, it will still pack quite a kick.

No, not if you want it to work. Water dilutes it, making it weaker, and the pepper won't dissolve and it will clog the nozzle of the container. Try using lemon concentrate, salt, or strained hot sauce as a last resort. Try to stick to the original recipe if possible, but you can add some extra zing.

If you can use vegetable oil, canola should work as well.

Yes, but the can is better to carry around; pulling something gun-shaped from your pocket could be dangerous.

You should put about 20 PSI in the bottle, and yes, you can use a bike pump instead of an air compressor.

Yes but it won't be nearly as strong, irritating, or have lasting damage.

Yes they can, but make sure they do not use it against others for harm as pepper spray is used only for self defense. Also, make sure they do not get any pepper spray mixture into their own eyes.

It will last a very long time if you store it at room temperature.

I don't see why not, the only problem is that it would need to be small (assuming you're using it for self-defense) so you can easily conceal it.

Yes but a good alternative to alcohol is lemon juice. It's more effective than water but less so than alcohol, so you don't cause permanent damage.

Most commercial manufacturers claim 2 years. They most certainly add stabilizers. Your results will most likely be not as long.

Yes, but be very careful when making the mixture, because Scotch Bonnet peppers are known to cause permanent eye damage.

Yes Carolina Reaper can be used for pepper spray but the effects would be more dangerous and can cause permanent blindness. As such, this is not recommended.

No, the alcohol is necessary as a solvent to extract the capsicum oil from the cayenne powder, then the oil becomes the carrying agent for the alcohol/capsicum oil solution.

The vegetable oil is the carrier for the capsicum oil. You could possibly use hot sauce instead of cayenne, but not as an alternative to the oil.

Yes, because the alcohol needs time to extract the capsicum oil from the cayenne powder. Filtering it too soon makes a weaker pepper spray. Plan ahead and be patient. If you're hurried, your "victim's" response might be "Yum!" rather than "My eyes! MY EYES!" If the intended victim is a bear while you're on the trail, Your dying thought will be, "Wish I'd let the cayenne soak for longer."