Reminder: Sunscreen Spray May Be Flammable
Aerosol cans, including many sunscreens and insect sprays, are often flammable. They talk about it right on the label in small print, and I guess you usually don’t bother reading when you tinker with sunscreen next to a grill or tiki flashlight.
Sunscreen sprays usually contain alcohol (or a similar volatile chemical) to help transfer the spray from the can to your skin. When it’s on your skin, it gives a thick, moist sheen, which is good – it means you’ve applied enough .
But as long as it is wet, it is still flammable. The spray itself can also be flammable when airborne, and while we’re talking about a fire hazard, it’s worth mentioning that aerosol cans can explode if overheated, so keep this can of sunscreen away from a fire.
Several years ago, a man burned himself on the grill immediately after applying sunscreen, causinga newsgroup to ask a firefighter to set fire to a mannequin’s hand during renovation.
To be clear, only wet spray ignites. Once the sunscreen has dried, there doesn’t seem to be an increased hazard on your skin. In the case of the person with the grill, it is likely that too much spray was dispensed due to a faulty nozzle , causing the spray to not dry out in the time that could reasonably be expected.
Therefore, when applying a sunscreen spray this summer, stay away from open flames while you do this and make sure the spray is completely dry before going over to your grill.