Curry is not usually the ingredient of choice when thinking about making homemade pepper spray. However, the active ingredients along with its oily consistency can produce an effective and highly-irritating product. Take a look at the steps below and see how this simple recipe can give you access to a power defensive tool that can be used under a variety of circumstances.
Required Items
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
3 tablespoons of distilled or purified water
12 drops of liquid dish soap
½ teaspoon of curry powder (red is the spiciest)
Spray bottle
Measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Wooden stirrer or spoon
Funnel
Mixing the Ingredients
The first step is to carefully measure and then combine all of the ingredients, with the exception of the curry, into a bowl and stir with the wooden spoon. You want to use wood because plastic and metal can interact with the compounds in this mixture and cause it to lose its potency. Once everything has been thoroughly mixed, sprinkle in the curry powder slowly and stir until it is completely blended with the rest of the ingredients.
All you need to do is pour the mixture through the funnel into your spray bottle. Give it a good shake, set the aerator on the appropriate setting and you’re good to go. You can store this indefinitely and use as needed. However, there are a couple of practical considerations to keep in mind.
First, choose a spray bottle that will be appropriate for different situations. For example, it’s not practical to carry around a large bottle in your purse or backpack. Second, you want a sprayer that is compact and capable of shooting the liquid long distances. You want one that will propel the spray for at least five feet in order to give you maximum protection against an attacker. Finally, choose a bottle that will not leak or corrode while being packed away. The last thing you need is for this mixture to spill and ruin the contents of your bag.
Improvisation
This is just a basic recipe that is potent and effective as it will irritate the eyes and nose of an attacker who receives a direct hit. However, there are limitless ways that you can improvise in order to make it more effective. The dish soap is intended to act as a binding agent that will help to make the mixture more homogeneous. It also provides a little bit of adhesion that will cause the curry to stick to the skin. However, you can improve on this by adding some olive oil to the mix to provide an extra boost of stickiness. The longer the spray stays on the skin, the more it will hamper the efforts of an attacker.
You can also follow a similar procedure with cayenne pepper or the juices of hot chili peppers as well. However, these items are grainy, and they can clog up the spray system and render this weapon useless when it is needed the most. In any case, this simple recipe can serve as the basis for a powerful defensive weapon that can come in very handy when facing an attack by a person or animal.