'Is it Actually Necessary to Buy a $30 Gas Can?': Woman Uses Hawaiian Punch Bottle as Gas Can. Is that OK?
TikTok user
@bfastshak
sparked an explosive conversation about fuel safety after posting a nine-second video on June 11 in which she uses an empty gallon-sized Hawaiian Punch bottle as a makeshift gas can. The brief clip shows her filling the plastic jug with a gas station pump while it sits on her passenger seat, then later using it to fuel her lawnmower.
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It seems that bfastshak was penny-pinching, asking whether it's "actually necessary to buy a $30 gas can" when a free plastic bottle could seemingly do the same job. The approach might seem logical to budget-conscious consumers, but experts warn this improvisation comes with serious risks, and governments have outlawed such unsafe storage practices.
Gas Cans, Costs, and the Law
Proper gas containers aren't expensive just for profit margins—they're specifically engineered to safely handle gasoline's corrosive and volatile properties. Unlike regular plastic bottles, approved fuel containers are made from materials that resist chemical breakdown and include safety features like proper venting systems.
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That's why US
federal law
forbids the transportation of hazardous materials in portable tanks that don't meet strict requirements, the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
regulates how to store fuel in workplaces, and manufacturers of proper containers are subject to
Environmental Protection Agency
certification.
The
Consumer Product Safety Commission
explains, 'Portable fuel containers can pose a serious injury risk to consumers.'
The Dangers of DIY Fuel Storage
The comment section under bfastshak's video quickly filled with warnings from viewers who understand the risks involved.
User Jules explained the fundamental problem: "Gas can break down certain types of plastic babe... get the can."
When bfastshak responded that it costs "$30," Jules fired back with a reality check, "Bestie, cleaning all that gas out of your car is $300. Not to mention the risk of an explosion."
CoreyReid provided detailed technical insight, writing, "Gas eats through standard types of plastic so it could over time end up eating a hole and spilling. If you use it just once no big deal. It is however illegal to not use a legit gas container."
Beyond chemical breakdown, viewers highlighted another critical safety concern. McGiktok warned, "And static electricity. Plastic containers are magnets for static electricity. The ones designed for gas are safer."
User Nik Nëko Heaney added, "The gas containers are vented to prevent gas buildup and explosions. Hence why it is illegal to use other containers."
Expert Advice Emerges
TikToker mistabland, who identified as a chemistry teacher, offered comprehensive guidance.
"Chemistry Teacher Here,' mistabland wrote. 'Yes the plastic is different in gas cans, there are metal ones. It's a long term investment. I have 10 (it's Florida thing). Never fill inside the car. Though I understand the embarrassment, it's definitely not safe."
The educator also warned about material interactions, writing, "Keep it as far away from Styrofoam it will melt like water to sugar... Correct it will act the same way as acetone does to styrofoam."
Chemistry teacher or not, mistabland's advice lines up with the science.
While some commenters offered deliberately dangerous advice as dark humor—suggesting everything from Ziploc bags to trash bags as receptacles for gas—others expressed genuine concern.
ItsjustChelsea captured many viewers' shock: "Friend why are we pumping it in the car?"
User farrqueef summed up the frustration, quipping, "People REALLY need to start googling things."
To her credit, bfastshak appeared receptive to the safety information. After explaining that she needed fuel for "a push mower from fb marketplace," she eventually responded to the chemistry teacher, "Okay thanks for actually being nice. Very player of you. I'm getting the gas can."
A $30 gas can might seem expensive for occasional use. But the risks of using a Hawaiian Punch bottle—including chemical burns, fires, legal sanctions, and chemical spills—make the investment worthwhile.
bfastshak agrees. Via TikTok direct message, she told
Motor1
that she bought a gas can, writing, "Yea I did lol."
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