Edit Article

Three Methods:Reacting QuicklyUsing WaterUsing Milk

If you have been pepper sprayed, or somehow gotten pepper spray into your eyes, you will be desperate to wash it off. Pepper spray produces an extremely strong burning sensation in the eyes, causing them to shut. It can cause inflammation of the skin, as well as make it hard to breathe, which can be especially dangerous for people with asthma.[1] There are a few different ways to get pepper spray out of your eyes, but don't expect the pain to disappear immediately.


Method 1 of 3: Reacting Quickly

  1. 1
    Don't touch your eyes. Pepper spray is an oil-based substance which causes severe irritation to your eyes and skin. If you get pepper spray in your eyes, resist the temptation to touch your face or rub your eyes. Touching your face will just spread the oil around and increase the affected area.[2]
    • Don't touch your face, but do tear up your eyes by blinking a lot.
    • Blinking produces liquid which helps start the process of flushing the spray residue from your eyes.
  2. 2
    Take out any contact lenses. If you are wearing contact lenses when you get pepper spray in your eyes, take these out immediately. The spray residues will stick to the lenses and continue to irritate your eyes. Throw the lenses away.[3]
    • After taking out your lenses submerge your face in cool clean water.
    • Open and close your eyes underwater several times.[4]
  3. 3
    Know how long the symptoms might last. Even if you manage to flush out your eyes, the symptoms may persist. Irritation to the eyes can continue for 30 minutes, to an hour, or two hours.[5]Inflammation of the throat lining can cause breathing difficulties for up to an hour.[6]
    • If your symptoms are particularly severe or last longer than this, you should go to a hospital or walk-in centre.
    • If you have asthma, pepper spray can cause serious breathing difficulties and you should get medical help immediately.

Method 2 of 3: Using Water

  1. 1
    Flush your eyes with water. Pepper spray leaves an oily residue on your skin and in your eyes which you need to clean off as quickly as possible. The most straightforward way to do this is just by flushing your face and eyes with cool water. You should do this for at least fifteen minutes.[7]
    • After doing this, keep the effected areas open to the air.
    • Being exposed to the air helps the irritant evaporate after flushing your eyes with water.[8]
    • If you have access to a sink or drinking fountain use this, otherwise use any clean water you can get hold of.
  2. 2
    Consider adding soap or detergent. Although flushing your face and eyes with water can help to wash off the oily pepper spray residue, you can add some soap or detergent to remove it from your skin. If you decide to do this, use a mild non-oil based soap, or dish detergent. Make a solution of one quarter mild detergent with three quarters cool water.[9]
    • Keeping your eyes firmly shut, dip your face into the solution for twenty seconds.
    • Rinse off your face, and repeat ten times.
    • Refresh the solution after each rinse, so you are not putting your face back into pepper spray water.[10]
  3. 3
    Use saline eye drops. There may be some oily residue left in your eyes after the burning sensation has begun to subside. To tackle this you can use some saline eye drops to flush out any final irritants. Just apply a few drops directly to your eyes and blink continuously.
    • You can buy these drops in drug stores, supermarkets and pharmacies.
    • Remember not to rub your eyes even after doing this.

Method 3 of 3: Using Milk

  1. 1
    Splash milk onto your face. Milk is often used by people hit with pepper spray. The milk can ease the burn from the spray, but will not clean off the oils and residue. You can use milk to relieve the burn on your skin to make it easier to effectively flush out your eyes. Splash whole milk onto your face, keeping your eyes closed.
    • Milk is less effective than washing with water or saline at getting rid of the pepper spray remnants.[11]
  2. 2
    Spray your face with milk. Another way to apply milk, is to pour some into a clean spray bottle, and, keeping your eyes closed, squirt it over your face. This can lessen the irritation experienced by your skin, which in turn can make it easier for you to then go and flush out your eyes with water more effectively.[12]
    • Use whole milk for this.
    • Research found little effective difference in pain relief between the use of milk and that of water.[13]
  3. 3
    Use a towel soaked in milk. Soaking a towel in milk and then placing this on your skin can help to relieve the burn of pepper spray. Soak a towel in whole milk, sit back, close your eyes and lay the towel over your face. This will not get the pepper spray out of your eyes, but it can relieve pain and irritation on your eye lids and the skin around your eyes.[14]
    • You can also submerge your face in milk to produce a similar effect.
  4. 4
    Rinse it off with water. After applying milk to your face it's important to rinse it thoroughly with cool clean water. The milk method shouldn't replace the use of water to flush out your eyes, but it can help to relieve the other painful symptoms which will exacerbate your discomfort. After rinsing, remember not to cover your face and eyes with any bandages or cloth, leave it exposed to the air.


  • Never use oils or lotions as they can trap the spray residue to your skin and can even cause blistering.
  • Do not use dish soap directly to wash your eyes. This could cause a major sting besides the pepper spray.
  • If this article does not work, ask a doctor or a nurse at a walk in clinic.

Article Info

Categories: Eye Care

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 32,158 times.

Did this article help you?
Yes No

an Author!

Write an Article