Homemade Chloroform: How To Make Chloroform At Home (Bleach Required)

Chloroform isn’t an easy liquid to get hold of. It is not an item that is available for purchase in the USA and it’s hard to access from other sources. 

As a survivalist, you often need to be self-sufficient and when it comes to gaining access to chloroform it’s reassuring to know that you can make your own.

If you’re in an emergency situation and need access to chloroform to anesthetize people for surgery or carry out a procedure on an animal, you’ll want to know how to make chloroform at home. 

Making and handling chloroform is extremely high risk so we’ve taken time and effort to research a foolproof method for you to follow. 

Chloroform Risks

Before you start dealing with chloroform in any way, it’s essential that you know the risks involved with this dangerous substance. 

Chloroform is toxic to the Central Nervous System. When inhaled in large doses it can cause you to become unconscious. 

Exposure to chloroform has been linked to cancer. 

When chloroform comes into contact with eyes and skins it can be extremely irritant. It can also damage the liver and kidneys. 

When inhaled or swallowed in high doses, Chloroform can be fatal.

What is Chloroform Used For? 

The use of chloroform is much less widespread than it used to be as awareness has grown around the potential health risks of it. 

Currently it is used in the following ways: 

• In pesticides
• As a solvent and cleansing agent
• To produce dyes 
• In Fire extinguishers and refrigerators
• To make certain types of plastics and resins

If you are a survivalist in an emergency or disaster situation and you’re medically trained you may consider using it for anesthetizing people in need of immediate surgery. However this is not recommended in any way due to the extremely high health risks involved. 

Get Your Ingredients For Chloroform

There are 3 key ingredients needed to make Chloroform

1. 6% Household Bleach
2. Acetone
3. Ice

Let’s discuss these ingredients in turn as it’s important you’re aware of what you’re dealing with and the risks involved 

Household Bleach

This is corrosive and can irritate your skin and eyes. It can also seriously affect the inside of your mouth, nose and lungs. 

You must use bleach that is at least 6% and does not contain any other additives. If you use bleach that is higher than 12% you’ll need to increase the amount of ice you use. 

Acetone

If high levels of acetone are inhaled it can cause headaches, nausea and lead to fainting. It can also irritate the nose, throat, eyes and lungs. 

Acetone can be bought either in a cosmetics store as a nail polish remover, or in paint or hardware shops where it is usually sold as a paint reducer. 

Ice

You can just use simple ice from your freezer or store bought cubes. 

Get Your Equipment

Large Glass Container 

You might want to consider a container designed specifically for chemicals – this has measurements on the outside to help you clearly see amounts when mixing the chloroform. 

It is also clear so you will be able to visually monitor the chloroform forming. An HDPE bucket does not allow you to see the chloroform clearly however it may be a good option for making large quantities. HDPE buckets are also much less likely to break than a glass container. 

Separation Funnel 

You’ll need a funnel like this one to enable you to separate the chloroform from the other ingredients in the solution. 

Gas Mask, Safety Goggles and Gloves

It’s essential that you have the right safety equipment when making chloroform. 

There are different levels of gas masks that you might consider but try to go for a full face respirator if you’re able to. The fumes from making chloroform can have a damaging effect on multiple systems in your body so you need to avoid inhaling them at all costs. 

Safety goggles will protect your eyes from any harmful substances. Even with extreme caution, you could still have a situation where bleach splashes into your eye. Wearing safety goggles will help to prevent damage to your eyesight or even blindness. 

Gloves will help avoid the chloroform and any of its ingredients from coming into contact with your skin. Both bleach and acetone can be an irritant to skin so wearing gloves will help to avoid any adverse reactions. 

Stirring Stick 

You’ll need a stirring stick to mix up the ingredients. It is useful to have one as long as possible in relation to your container so that you minimize the chances of your skin coming into contact with the chloroform or its ingredients. 

Always try to get a glass stirring stick if possible. 

Recipe To Make Your Homemade Chloroform 

The most important thing to remember when it comes to making homemade chloroform is your safety. Take all the precautions necessary, wear the appropriate safety equipment and make sure you are in a well ventilated space. 

1. Make sure that the bleach and the acetone are as cold as possible. Chilling them in the fridge in advance is ideal as they will heat by a minimum of 85 degrees when the reaction begins. 

2. Do your calculations. You’ll need 1 part acetone to 50 parts bleach. This equates to 1 teaspoon of acetone to 1 cup of bleach. Figure out how much chloroform you’ll need and work out the volumes required of each ingredient. 

3. Start by putting your bleach in your glass container or HDPE bucket. Add in some ice cubes to cool it down. 

4. Add the acetone to the mix of bleach and ice, then stir it with your stirring stick. 

5. Let the mixture sit for between 30 minutes and 1 hour. This will allow sufficient time for the mixture to cool after the reaction has occurred. 

6. You’ll need to keep an eye out for a white vapor to come off the solution. The solution will turn cloudy and there will be a white residue (the chloroform) on the base of the container. Be careful not to breathe in the white vapor. 

7. Once cooled, pour the liquid off the top of the mixture leaving the chloroform at the bottom. 

8. Put the remainder of the mixture into a separation funnel and drain the chloroform so that you leave the water behind. 

9. In order to use the chloroform on either animals or people, you’ll need to carry out a distillation process at this point using a distiller. 

How to Dispose of Your Chloroform and Ingredients Properly

It’s essential that you continue to wear your full safety equipment throughout the process of making chloroform and whilst disposing of it. Continue to protect your eyes, skin and respiratory system. 

You can not put chloroform down the drain and the amount of chloroform you have will decide how best to dispose of it. 

One of the best options is to evaporate it. Always make sure that you do this outdoors and ideally on a dry day so that you can be sure it has fully evaporated. 

Simply pour the chloroform on a large towel or paper towels and let it sit in the sun for several hours. Ensure that nobody goes near the towels for at least 24 hours. 

Can You Make Someone Unconscious Using Chloroform?

It is possible to make someone unconscious using chloroform and it is extremely dangerous to do so. 

Never try to make someone unconscious using chloroform as it can have fatal side effects and severely damage many of the systems and organs within the body. 

Chloroform is a highly toxic substance and should not be used to deliberately make someone unconscious.

Is It Legal To Own Chloroform?

Since 1976, chloroform has been forbidden as a consumer product in the USA. Individuals may not purchase it. It is not however illegal to possess chloroform if you have made it yourself. 

It’s important to remember the health risks however and always handle it and dispose of it responsibly. 

A large reason for the banning of chloroform is due to the fact it is a recognized carcinogen. 

Where Can You Buy Chloroform?

You can not buy chloroform as a consumer in the United States. If you want to gain access to chloroform, you may be able to find a scientific lab that will offer it to you. 

Otherwise, the best way to get hold of chloroform is to make it yourself. 

Conclusion

Understanding the risks involved with chloroform will help you to make an informed decision about whether you should be making it yourself. 

Now that you know how to make chloroform on your own, we’d like to remind you one last time to proceed with caution. The chemicals used in making chloroform are incredibly dangerous to handle so only use this recipe if it is absolutely necessary to have some chloroform.