Remain calm. Refrain from wiping your eyes, which is an automatic reflex. This reaction will only serve to rub the oil deeper, resulting in greater irritation. The wiping action transfers oil to your hands creating additional contamination.

Sit up and restrict your activity. To speed your relief, open your eyes. This allows the oil mixture to dry. Hope for and permit natural tear flow, which helps clear out the eyes. Flush out eyes with large amounts of cool water to aid in oil removal and to alleviate the burning sensation.

If using a paper towel to blot, discard after one use. Do not rub your eyes. Inflamed capillaries can break creating additional discomfort and a pair of shiners like you've never seen before!

Contact lens wearers should remove them. Lenses may not respond to normal cleaning methods. It's likely that exposure to the spray will damage them beyond repair or cleaning. Check with your eyecare professional.

Breathe normally through your nose. Blow your nose frequently, but not too hard, to remove discharge and OC particles. Inflamed capillaries could break under pressure causing a nosebleed. Do not apply creams, oils, lotions or salves, even ones specifically formulated for burns, to your skin. They will only trap OC particles and oil on the skin surface. Flush the exposed areas liberally with plenty of cool water to remove contaminants and relieve the burning sensation. Shower as soon as possible using mild soap and shampoo. Wash downward from the hairline.

Specially formulated recovery products are available for on-the-spot treatment. They come in various delivery formats. Most contain simple, natural ingredients designed to draw the oily resin of OC out of the skin. Others have elements that break down the chemical components of CS and CN teargas to provide relief. Towelettes are especially convenient because they can be slipped into a pocket and used as needed.

If inside, ventilate building or rooms to remove airborne contaminants. Open all doors and windows as quickly as possible. Decontaminate surfaces by washing with water or a damp cloth. Dry OC residue should be collected by means of a wet/dry vac. Walls and furniture doused with OC products can be hosed down. Residue washed down drains is non-toxic and will not cause any environmental damage. Re-occupation of a structure can usually take place within one to two hours of contamination.

With CN, CS or other spray mixtures, the time frame can be longer. When aiding someone who has been sprayed, wear rubber gloves and a gauze face shield to prevent residual contamination. Clothes and other fabrics that were cross-contaminated can be cleaned in a regular machine wash cycle or by dry cleaning.