# What to do with a bucket of gas **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 5, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bucket-of-gas/677975 "2014-01-05T21:51:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bucket-of-gas/677975/21 "2014-01-06T04:35:57Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > I guess it’s just me but I’m amazed at how often this questions gets asked. And I know some will be shocked at my answer but, _ **just dump it out!** _ Preferably on a paved surface. It’s just gasoline, em’ kay? It isn’t nitroglycerine or Plutonium. Right this very second there are literally millions of gallons of gas being sloshed around and spilled onto the ground. Gasoline evaporates extremely fast, so even if you dump it on dirt all of it will evaporate into the air before getting anywhere near anybody’s ground water. Great idea! In fact, dump it in the curb, so it runs in to the sewer and you don’t have to deal with dead grass! Most run right back in to rivers and streams, with no treatment, but dontcha know dilution is the solution, right? It’s all good, everyone else does it. :rolleyes: I agree with the suggestions to put it in your gas tank. If that won’t work, take it to your local fire department - that’s where most hazardous chemicals and substances can be dropped off. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bucket-of-gas/677975/22 "2014-01-06T04:36:57Z")
Shave its belly with a rusty razor… ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bucket-of-gas/677975/23 "2014-01-07T02:33:06Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I’m not even sure they make 2-stroke snowblowers. I think some of the very small “snow sweeper” units might be. They do. My cite is in my garage. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bucket-of-gas/677975/24 "2014-01-07T03:16:17Z")
Just walk away and there will be an end to the horror. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bucket-of-gas/677975/25 "2014-01-07T03:46:24Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > They do. My cite is in my garage. _shrug_ Okay. I did some fast searching and came up with zero full-size blowers using a two-stroke and quite a few recommendations to go only with a 4-stroke. My gut feeling is that a four will start and run more reliably in snow-blowing conditions than a two, but I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bucket-of-gas/677975/26 "2014-01-07T04:27:12Z")
While waiting for snappy answers to your problem, tell us you don’t have that bucket of gas sitting _near_ your house/garage, **or worse** , _inside_ your house/garage?? ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bucket-of-gas/677975/27 "2014-01-07T04:53:38Z")
It’s a 4 stroke, 7.5 hp, two stage, 5 forward speeds, two reverse, electric start and a headlight. Uses real gas. I would have poured it into one of the vehicles, but the bucket I used wasn’t totally cleaned out… just one grabbed from the garage. There were some bits of leaves or something in there as well. My boys actually worked it out without my help (they are late teens so old enough to do these things). They took two paint pans (the kind you use a roller in) and poured the gas in them set at the end of the drive and tossed a match in each (from a safe distance). Nice little FWHOOM and then a small burn… and a nice clean patch at the end of the drive. And it is heart warming to know a few people actually thought I was going to toss gas soaked rags into my fireplace and warned me not to. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bucket-of-gas/677975/28 "2014-01-07T05:26:54Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > It’s a 4 stroke, 7.5 hp, two stage, 5 forward speeds, two reverse, electric start and a headlight. Uses real gas. Fix the cigarette lighter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bucket-of-gas/677975.md?page=1)