Note 12
How to use smelling salts
Crack the cap. Hold it off the nose. One short breath. Then go.
Using smelling salts is not a ritual. It is three motions, and then you do the work.
The first open
If the bottle is non-activated, add half a capful of water the first time you crack it. Close it. Shake it. You do this once. Ammonia inhalants in a Bardown bottle start when water hits ammonium carbonate and sodium carbonate. After that, the bottle is live. Cap it when you are done or it will live in your bag the wrong way.
The hit
- Open the cap.
- Hold the neck a few inches from your nose — not inside it.
- Take one short inhale through the nose.
- Close the cap immediately.
- Go do the thing.
That is the whole technique. You do not need a deep breath. You do not need a second hit “to make sure.” You do not pass it around like a joke. Ammonia irritates the nose, the eyes, and the lungs if you linger. The irritation is the point. It is also the limit.
When to use them
Before a shift. Before a heavy single. Before a walkout. Not between every warm-up set for entertainment. Frequent use dulls the reflex and wastes a bottle that was supposed to last a season.
Keep it away from children. This is for adult athletes. The longer caution is on The Hit and in the FAQ. The bottle is here.