Many types of fire can be put out with water, but there's one you should keep away from water: grease fire. 

In this post, we'll talk about why you should never use water to put out a grease fire and what to do instead. 

Why You Should Never Use Water to Put Out a Grease Fire

A grease fire usually occurs in the kitchen when cooking oil becomes too hot. But why can't you use water to put it out? 

It boils down to one principle: oil and water don't mix.

Water is denser than oil. So, when you throw water into a pan full of oil, the water goes under it. The water then comes into contact with the pan's scorching surface and quickly turns into steam. 

The water then pushes the grease out of the pan and the oil breaks into thousands of tiny droplets with much more surface area than the original. This process lets the oil mix with oxygen at a higher rate, making it explode. While the size of the explosion varies, any blast in your kitchen can set your house on fire.

As such, you should not move the pan to the sink. In fact, don't move the pan at all (even after putting out the fire) until it's completely cool. Oil can still splatter, cause injuries, and even restart the fire. 

Why You Shouldn't Use a Wet Towel to Put Out a Grease Fire

Using a wet towel to put out a grease fire seems like an easy fix, but it isn't.

It's not just ineffective; it's also hazardous. You see, grease fires burn at a much higher temperature than boiling water.  

For instance, vegetable oils commonly used in cooking have flashpoints twice to thrice as water. Hence, the oil will quickly boil off the water in the towel, leaving you with an oil-soaked fire hazard that can destroy your home and hurt your loved ones. 

Why You Shouldn't Use a Water-Based Extinguisher to Put Out a Grease Fire

Not all types of fire extinguishers can put off grease fires. 

You shouldn't use water-based fire extinguishers (e.g., water and water mist) on grease fires for the same reasons above. Their nozzles also allow the fire to spread more rapidly. 

What You Should Use Instead

Use the Prepared Hero's Emergency Fire Blanket if you want a reliable fighter against grease fire. Simply take the blanket out of its container, cover the fire with it, and wait for the fire to die. Here's the complete guide on how to use the Emergency Fire Blanket.

Safely putting out a grease fire doesn't have to be complicated. You can do it using a reliable fire blanket that smothers the fire of oxygen. And no matter what happens, don't use water to put a grease fire out. Stay prepared, hero!