Self Defense Sprays help in many Ways besides Protection!

I came across this article on self defense sprays and its many uses.  Great article for those who are interested in protecting their gardens!  Purchasing self defense sprays gives you many options not just for personal protection needs.  Very informational read on!

Pepper spray is a natural pesticide and an effective deterrent to many garden pests and wildlife. Hot peppers of the genus Capsicum contain capsaicin, which gives peppers the "heat" that spices up food. Capsaicin is an irritant to most mammals and thus an effective repellant. You can make your own pepper spray, ensuring that all ingredients are organic.

Safety of Pepper Spray

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has evaluated capsaicin, the compound extracted from hot peppers and used in commercial pepper sprays, for safety. It is considered a biochemical pesticide, since it is a naturally occurring compound. It repels pests without harming them, and it is acceptable as a repellant for birds, voles, deer, rabbits, squirrels and insects. Capsaicin pesticides should not be used near waterways, however, as the effects of high concentrations of capsaicin on aquatic life are unknown. Gardeners should keep even a homemade pepper spray away from natural bodies of water and koi ponds. (See References 1) Wear gloves and goggles when applying pepper spray in the garden. It is an irritant that can cause a burning sensation in the eyes and on the skin. Do not spray on windy days.

Mammals

Squirrels are garden pests that forage on seeds, flower bulbs and vegetables in both urban and rural settings. Rabbits forage on a wide range of vegetables and flowers, as do voles, or meadow mice. Deer, though lovely to observe, can be very destructive as they feed in the garden. Pepper spray can be effective against all these pests. No mammals, except humans, consume hot peppers containing capsaicin; they find contact with capsaicin irritating and will avoid it. (See References 2) Research presented at a USDA National Wildlife Research Center Symposia demonstrated that squirrels avoided sunflower hearts treated with capsaicin even when hungry. Squirrels that tasted the treated seeds seemed distressed and tried to wipe off their muzzles.

Birds

Birds can be pests in the garden, destroying ripening fruit and berries. Birds eat hot pepper seeds and have no aversion to eating garden produce sprayed with pepper spray. However, birds do find powdered peppers containing capsaicin irritating and may avoid contact with the powder. (See References 3)

Formulations

Commercial pepper sprays are available at garden centers; the active ingredient should be capsaicin. To make your own pepper spray, soak 2 tbsp. ground red pepper overnight in gallon of water. Add 6 drops of dish soap --- a natural vegetable-based soap like castile soap, not an anti-bacterial soap --- and place the mixture in a spray bottle. To make pepper spray using fresh peppers, chop 1/2 lb. hot peppers and soak overnight in a gallon of water. Add 6 drops of dish soap and put the mixture in a spray bottle. Thoroughly spray the plants, wearing goggles and gloves. (See References 4)

References

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Capsaicin Final Registration Review Decision; October 1, 2010
2. University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Effectiveness of Capsaicin as a Repellent to Birdseed Consumption by Gray Squirrels; 1995
3. University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Review of Bird Repellants; 1998
4. University of Florida Extension: Home Remedies for Insect and Disease Control on Plants

Resources

1. Clemson University Extension: Less Toxic Insecticides

 

About the Author

Diana Lea is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin with more than 20 years of technical writing experience. She is a certified Florida master gardener and writes extensively on gardening topics for various websites.

Who should carry Self Defense Sprays?

Who should carry self defense sprays?  Well that' a simple answer, anyone.  People who walk, shop, jog, ride their bicycle, being alone while anywhere outdoor, parking in parking lots especially at night and especially if you are a female.  Anyone from anywhere should be considering self defense sprays if you haven't already.

Women who are out and alone after dark or college students who live or drive to campus seem to be the likings of an attacker.  The elderly are also a big target of criminals.  Self defense sprays can help leverage the playing ground.  You don't have to spend a fortune purchasing pepper sprays and it doesn't take a lot of training and strength to use.  That being said, it's a smart decision to practice with your pepper spray so you know how it works, how far it will spray and how it sprays.  You may want to consider buying an Inert Practice spray as well.

Self defense sprays are less-lethal self defense that is compact and easily concealed.  They come in a large variety of styles, colors, strengths and forms.  Some come in disguised styling as the Lipstick Pepper Spray or the Pen Pepper Spray.

Self defense sprays are also known as Mace.  Mace is a brand name of pepper spray and Mace as well as all other brands are widely used by law enforcement agencies throughout the entire world.

So if you are concerned about your personal safety and quite frankly you should be, purchase self defense sprays they will help aid you in your personal defense.

Purchasing Self Defense Sprays

Purchasing self defense products is your first line of defense.  Chances are you are seeking to buy a self defense spray product.  By doing so you have made a very wise decision so congratulations to you!

Being pro-active with you and your loved ones personal security is not only smart but in the event of an attack you will have already made your purchase and have your self defense weapon handy.  That's what purchasing self defense products are all about.  Being prepared.

While purchasing your new self defense sprays you may also want to take home practice spray.  It's important to practice with your new weapon, get to know it, how it works, how far will it go and most importantly how many shots will you get with it.  On a self defense spray the manufacturer may state you get 6 to 8 shots and with normal use you probably will, however in a panic mode you may not use it as stated and run through the pepper spray in fewer shots.

Knowing your pepper spray and what it can do is imperative for this reason.

If you are attacked you need to have confidence that you and your self defense spray can take care of the situation.  The last thing you need is to second guess yourself due to not knowing its capability.

This is crucial in your defense.  For a small amount of money you can bring home practice sprays to help you through the process.  It's worth it.

Our recommendation is to use at least two practice sprays to help you learn your new weapon so there won't be any second guessing when and if the time arises where you actually need to use it.  We also recommend you purchase a backup second pepper spray just in case.

Always remember to carry your self defense weapon with you at all times and in ready mode.  It can't help you if you don't do this regularly.

So you purchased your Self Defense Spray what now?

So you have successfully taken the first steps in personal protection and purchased yourself a self defense spray.  Now what should you do?  Rather than buy it and put it aside and forget about it you should take the time to experiment and develop practice drills. 

If you are carrying your self defense sprays in your purse, remember you want to keep possession even if your purse is snatched.  Instead of keeping it inside your purse you should place it on the outside clipped to the purse so while you are walking with it you can keep your hand on it at all times.  This way if your purse is taken you will have retained your self defense spray as you may need to use it at that point.


Keeping in good practice you should always have your self defense spray in your hand and ready to use while doing any walking as to your vehicle, from a restaurant, shopping whether it’s the grocery store or a mall.  How you choose to carry your self defense sprays doesn’t make a difference as long as you carry it.  If you find yourself in a potentially bad situation have the pepper spray in your hand and ready to go.  You only have minimal time to bring the pepper spray to action if needed so it’s better to be prepared.


Most importantly having yourself mentally ready to actually use your self defense spray on someone is crucial.  This is why you need to practice with it and rehearse what you would do in the event you should need to really use it.  You need to feel comfortable while being able to draw it quickly and spray it sufficiently to the facial area.  By doing so, you can change the outcome of a bad situation from victim to survivor.


I cannot stress enough the importance of hands-on practicing with self defense sprays.  You may want to check with your local police department to see if training classes are held on its use.  In the end you’ll be glad you did.

Self defense sprays should be carried with you at all times, after all this is why you purchased it right?  Crime happens when you will least expect it to; one must be prepared to defend at any given time.  We can’t predict the future but we certainly can do things to prepare for it.  Self defense sprays are one of the best affordable defensive devices available on the market today.

Remember to always carry your pepper spray, day or night.  Criminals don’t keep a certain schedule; they are out there at all times throughout the course of a 24-hour day.  Stay alert while you are out and pay close attention to your surroundings.  Always have your self defense spray in position and ready to go. 

By taking these precautionary measures you can prevent you from becoming someone else’s victim.

Trust your Instincts

Pepper spray should be carried by women for many reasons.  The most important aspect of you is your personal safety.  In today’s environment you should be educating yourself with escaping an attacker, self defense moves, even the basics will help you, self confidence, fighting back and mostly carrying a self defense device.  All that is mentioned above can help in saving your life.

Many women may experience a bad thought or feeling about someone or something and shrug it off paying no attention to it.  If you ever have an uneasy feeling about anyone or anything always trust and use your instincts.  You will most likely be right and be happy you did.  

Awareness and alertness of your surroundings is a key component in staying safe.

Attacks happen very quickly and it’s crucial that you be able to think and react instantly when approached.  You don’t want to be taken by a stranger into a dark alley or shove you into their vehicle.  If you allow this you may never make it out of the situation.  If you are approached in public by a stranger and he or she tells you to come with them or get into the car or they will kill you, you need to react quickly, yell, screaming and fighting back.  This will be your one chance to take control, draw attention and escape.  You may not be harmed while in the public eye but you can surely believe that once taken to a remote area you very may well be.  

Carrying Pepper Spray and using it is the best way to distract an attacker from hurting you in public. By spraying them directly in the face you will cause distress to the attacker along with coughing, choking and nausea and possibly temporary blindness.  The mucous membranes will swell causing the assailant to be temporarily incapacitated.  This will gain you precious time to get to safety. 

By having Pepper Spray on your person and easily accessible at all times can be the difference between life and death.  Sadly we cannot trust our surroundings any longer, those days are long gone and never coming back.  Keeping on top of your surroundings at all times is a crucial step in your personal safety.

 

Pepper Sprays aren’t life damaging therefore don’t be afraid to shoot it at someone if for one second you feel threatened.  Hesitation is not an option here; you feel it, spray it.  

Most importantly!  If you don’t carry your pepper spray or any other weaponry you desire it can’t help you.  Get in the habit of bringing it with you, place it on your keychain, carry it in your pocket, have it and reach it in a split moment.   You will have increased your odds of survival dramatically.

Differences Between Pepper Spray Types

To help you in determining which Pepper Spray may be the best fit for you and how they perform, here’s a listing of all the different types for your knowledge.

PEPPER STREAM: The stream form is a very effective self defense weapon in the use of hitting multiple attackers, spraying an attacker in darkness, in tight areas, ie; through your partially opened car window, and will dramatically help with your aim.

The stream method will shoot an attacker with super-hot pepper! If sprayed through a partially opened car window you will have minimum contamination against you.

By moving the pepper spray from side to side while spraying (fanning technique) you will increase your chances of hitting your mark.
The stream method will empty very quickly however will provide the heaviest blast of pepper. Pepper Spray is a popular choice amongst women as a self defense weapon. Pepper Spray performs immediately causing running nose, shortness of breath, and the eyes to shut with severe tearing.

FOGGER PEPPER SPRAY: This self defense weapon provides a spray pattern also great for multiple attackers, crowd control, animal attacks and to keep at a dorm room or at home.

You can experience blow-back with the fogger method especially while using outdoors. The advantage outweighs the disadvantage of blow-back as the attacker when sprayed will be incapacitated for approximately 30 minutes while you may suffer some tearing and coughing.

While pressing the trigger and taking a few steps back using the fanning technique the spray will penetrate through anything that moves through the fogger path. This pepper spray works immediately causes eyes to shut, tearing, runny nose, shortness of breath and severe coughing.

FOAM PEPPER SPRAY: This form allows you to spray with little to no blow-back. It sticks to the recipient like glue! Using foam spray in windy conditions will not cause the spray to come back at you.

Many believe if sprayed with the foam spray they can just wipe it off and continue on with an attack. This Pepper Foam is similar to thick, sticky saving cream loaded with a high concentration of hot pepper.

When you try to wipe it off it only penetrates deeper. The pepper works instantly again causing the eyes to shut with tears, runny nose, excessive coughing and shortness of breath. Great self defense carry for women.

GEL PEPPER SPRAY: Pepper gel formulation is suspended actually as it’s named, in a gel form. This type results in several advantages, stronger pepper, sticks like glue, longer distance, less contaminating and non-flammable. Ideal for carry anywhere.

The great advantage of Pepper Gel is the 18 foot spray distance which is twice as far as most pepper spray ranges. The Gel style is also an excellent self defense product for women.

PEPPER POWDER: Is very compact and highly portable defense (weighs only 3.4 ounces). Launches hot pepper powder in a cloud onto an attacker and also creates a barrier between you and your attacker. Pepper cloud irritates attackers' eyes, nose and lungs, causing temporary incapacitation.

Excellent form of protection in a pepper spray for anyone.

Practicing with Self Defense Spray Can Make a Difference

After you have purchased your new pepper spray it is highly recommended that you take the time and practice using it. Knowing how and where you carry your self defense weapon is a huge factor in your success on using your defense spray. Women especially should not carry your weaponry in your purse as if your purse is taken from you your weapon won’t be able to help you.

That being said, you may want to consider carrying it clipped to your purse and keep a hold on it while you are walking. This would prevent your self defense weapon being taken with your purse should the purse be stolen from you.
Having your weapon in ready mode is a crucial step in defense. This applies to whether you use a pepper spray or any other self defense weapon. Assaults are not a planned event and can happen at anywhere or time, while walking to your car, jogging going to and from the store, these are all potential risk factors which will not allow you much time.

This being said, it’s very important you practice with your self defense weapons, being comfortable with your own ability to use your weaponry properly can be the difference between you actually using it or not. You must mentally feel ready; this can make or break a bad situation at hand. If you aren’t mentally comfortable using your weapon there’s a good chance you may not use it. Reaction time is a matter of a second or two, you must have the ability to react and use it efficiently and fast. These factors can make the difference as to whether you become a victim or survive your attacker.

Formal training with self defense spray may be something you should seek out in your area. Your local authorities may have instructional classes. Practicing and knowing your weapon is of significant value and will help you in becoming very familiar with your pepper spray and to feel a comfortable level of confidence.

To some this may sound as though you need to be paranoid every time you walk out your door, this is far from the truth however being cautious and having preparation in your personal protection is simply smart. Crime is out there and you could be the next potential victim. We cannot predict the future but we can certainly take steps in self preparation. One will never know if they will become a criminal’s next victim.

Hesitation is not an option when it comes to protecting you and your loved ones. Get protected today and help save your life.

PEPPER SPRAY What Is It!

Pepper Spray also known as OC Spray from ("Oleoresin Capsicum"). OC gas and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent (a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain and even temporary blindness) that is used in riot control, crowd control, and personal self-defense protection including defense against dogs and bear pepper spray.

Although considered a less lethal agent, it may be deadly in rare cases, and concerns have been raised about a number of deaths where being pepper sprayed could have been a contributing factor.

The active ingredient in pepper spray is capsaicin, which is a chemical derived from the fruit of the plant Capsicum genus, including chilis. Extraction of Oleoresin Capsicum from peppers involves finely ground capsicum, from which capsaicin is extracted in an organic solvent such as ethanol.

The solvent is then evaporated, and the remaining wax-like resin is oleoresin capsicum. An emulsifier such as proplene glycol is used to suspend OC in water, and pressurized to make it aerosol in pepper spray. The high performance liquid perform otology (HPLC) method is used to measure the amount of capsaicin within pepper sprays. Scoville Heat Units (SHU) are used to measure the concentration or "heat" of pepper spray.

How to disperse Pepper Spray!

Training On How to Disperse Pepper Spray

There are various types of pepper spray, therefore instructing someone to use it is more difficult than it seems. Take a look at these popular types of pepper spray and how to properly utilize them.

Forced Cone: The most popular cone type is the forced cone. It is typically the best options for general pepper spray use. The forced cone provides a fine mist that comes out in a forceful spray pattern. The pattern sprays at distances of 8 to 12 feet, and at a width of two feet. The mist is composed of extremely fine droplets of pepper solution that actually help to minimize the possibility of the pepper formula blowing back onto the person spraying using the pepper spray. Instead, the spray penetrates the skin pores of the attacker and invades their mucous membranes. With the forced cone, the eyes will seal with tears, the nose will begin to run with mucous, there will be excessive coughing and a shortness of breath to anyone penetrated by the solution.

Broken-Stream: If you are interested in being able to utilize pepper spray in situations where you may not have great aim, you should consider a broken-stream pepper spray option. It is terrific for situations where you might need to hit multiple attackers. In addition, if the attack comes in the dark, in a tight area, or through your car window, this is the best option. The stream that is shot from this type of pepper spray is similar to the stream from a water gun. There is less chance you will miss your attacker. However, you can always use the “fan” technique which can help you hit your target. The “fan” technique involves you spraying the stream from side to side, until you hit your mark. Remember however, this type of pepper spray provides the heaviest blast of pepper, so your can will empty faster. The broken-steam pepper spray will also cause the eyes to seal with tears, the nose to run with mucous, excessive coughing, and shortness of breath.

Fogger: For the consumer who wants to be able to utilize their pepper spray for multiple attackers, crowd control, bears, and at home, the fogger is the best option to consider. Before you purchase the fogger however, you should know there is a possibility of pepper spray “blowing back” and contaminating the user.

This disadvantage is more common if the spray is utilized outdoors. Of course, the effects of the spray “blowing back” would be much different than the effects the attacker would be receiving. The attacker would be getting the blunt of the spray, making them suffer much more than you. To utilize the fogger, you pull the trigger and use the “fan” technique. The “fan” technique requires you to move your pepper spray back and forth, hitting everything in the “fan” path. The pepper in a fogger works immediately. Like other pepper spray units, the formula will cause the eyes to tear, the nose to run, excessive coughing, and shortness of breath.

Foam: If you are terrified of your pepper spray blowing back onto you, try the pepper foam option. The foam spray option is best for immediate saturation, without any blow back. If it is a windy day, you can use the foam pepper spray without worrying about “blow back”. Once the foam hits the attacker, it cannot be wiped away without causing symptoms. It is similar to a thick and sticky shaving cream with 5.3 million Scoville Heat Units of hot pepper. The pepper works instantly, so when the attacker tries to wipe it off, it will only make the situation worse for them. Again, the foam causes the eyes to tear, the nose to run, excessive coughing and shortness of breath.

For a large variety of Mace, Pepper Sprays and more please visit us at PersonalProtectionandMore.com