Pepper spray contains an ingredient found in cayenne peppers and pepper oil. This ingredient, capsicum, causes a burning and stinging sensation when it comes in contact with your skin. It also causes your eyes to tear. While it may not seem like a big deal if you get pepper spray on your clothing, it can become an issue later. Proper removal of pepper spray and capsicum makes your clothing safe to wear and removes the threat of re-contamination of pepper spray.
Things You'll Need
Rubber gloves
Spoon
Cold cream
Large bucket
Oil-free laundry detergent
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Step 1
Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from exposure to capsicum.
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Step 2
Scoop out a large spoonful of cold cream with a plastic spoon that you can discard afterward. Spread the cold cream over the area of clothing exposed to pepper spray, using the back of the spoon.
Step 3
Rub the cold cream into the fibers of the clothing, then allow it to sit for 20 minutes. Cold cream, which is not an oil-based soap, helps remove the pepper oil and capsicum from your clothing.
Step 4
Flush your clothing with cool water to remove the cold cream and rinse away the pepper spray.
Step 5
Fill the bucket with 1 gallon cool water and add a capful of a non-oil laundry detergent or soap. Place the pepper spray-affected clothing in the bucket of soapy water and allow it to soak for 30 minutes.
Step 6
Rinse your clothing again under cool running water. Launder your clothing according to directions, using your non-oil laundry detergent to remove any last traces of pepper spray. Hang-dry your clothing or place it in the dryer, dependent upon the fabric.
Tip
Flush skin or eyes with cool water for 15 minutes if affected by pepper spray.
Wash skin with cold cream to remove pepper spray.
Warning
Do not touch your face, skin, clothing or anything else, if at all possible, when sprayed with pepper spray. If your hands have pepper spray on them, you will transfer it to anything you touch.