Easy Hand Sanitizer Fire Project

This is an easy and fun fire project involving hand santizer. The flames are cool enough to hold, plus you can color them using common chemicals.

Find more of my projects at:
http://chemistry.about.com

Hand sanitizer containing ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol is essentially gel fuel. These two alcohols burn at a relatively low temperature, plus the product is mostly water, which absorbs a lot of heat, protecting surfaces and your skin. These properties make hand santizer perfect for fire projects and demonstrations. However, keep in mind the gel is stickier than rubbing alcohol or high proof ethanol so the fire is a little harder to put out. As with all flames, the fire can spread and your could get burned. Don't try this project unless you are an adult. Please use common sense.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• fire
• project
• hand sanitizer
• hands
• flames
• colored fire
• Fire
• alcohol
• boric acid
• Hand
• Hold

[camfighter22]

How do you put it out? Will water worke?

[futsang]

@camfighter22 You can blow it out or add water. When I had it on my hand, I just shook my hand, which basically blew out the flame. Hand sanitizer is mostly water anyway, so the flame doesn't really want to burn.

[amandachristina123]

what kind of hand santizer to use? and does the fire feel warm?

[futsang]

@amandachristina123 It doesn't matter what brand you use as long at it contains at least 60% alcohol. The fire is hot. You can hold it maybe a couple of seconds, but that's it.

[allicat1968]

Are the chemicals toxic once burnt? Will it give u skin disease? O my god ahhhhhhhhh! *set hand on fire* hehehe lol. Jk

[futsang]

@allicat1968 It's ethyl alcohol in water. Except for the fragrance it's pretty much the same chemicals you'd use to make a flaming dessert. So, no, not particularly toxic. If hand sanitizer gives you skin disease then that kind of negates using it in the first place, right?

[xXStealth4968Xx]

When did the idea... I am going to light my hand on fire come to your mind?

[Plutonium24594]

@Awesomeness999100 Yes i watched the vid and i loved it. But other that borax is there something else i can add?

[Awesomeness999100]

@Plutonium24594 Did you even watch the vid?

[Plutonium24594]

I have also learned about hand santizer fires , and i have tried lighting it on my hand but, after 2 seconds i get burnt (not that it happened yet) is there a special way? And what other chemicals can i add to change the flame color?

[imurboss4]

i used it on a bully by dipping my hands in and acting mad it and i scared the shit out of him...thank you internet!!

[TiagoTiagoT]

Always be careful when following instructions you find on the web if you don't know what you're doing; for all you know you might be cooking a chemical weapon that will turn against its maker...

I've seen it happen before...

[anthony101derek]

whelp guess someones goat try this on their penis now

[TheEpicNacho1]

Could keep it about 2 seconds

[TheWarnhorn]

dos it really work

[TheDarkFalcon]

@RadioTrefoil figuratively. lol.

[RadioTrefoil]

@TheDarkFalcon Burned him.. with hand sanitiser?