How to Make a Cheap, DIY Fog Machine for Your Halloween Party

Need to add some spooky ambient fog to your super-scary Halloween party? Rather than shelling out money for a fog machine you'll probably only use once a year, make a trip to the nearest drug store and pick up a bottle of glycerin, a gallon of distilled water, a 2-liter bottle of cola, a disposable mini-pie tin, and a big candle in a jar.

Mix together one part glycerin and three parts water to make your fog juice. After that, set up a stand so that the big candle heats up the bottom of a pie tin with the top half of an empty soda bottle taped over the pie tin opening. Add a teaspoon of fog juice into the tin heated by the candle flames, and enjoy the spooky fog effect.

How to Make a Cheap, DIY Fog Machine for Your Halloween Party

These instructions were inspired by HouseholdHacker's video tutorial. So take a look at that for a real-time view of the thick fog that is created by these simple drugstore ingredients.

You Will Need

one bottle of pure glycerin
one gallon of distilled water
mini foil pie-tin
masking or duct tape
empty 2-liter Coke bottle
one big candle with three wicks
chemistry stand or similar apparatus

Step 1: Mix Fog Juice

In a glass, mix together one part glycerin and three parts distilled water. Stir completely with a spoon. The water should be murky initially but will clear up immediately after stirring. This is your "fog juice."

Step 2: Build Fog Dispenser

Cut off the top half of your empty 2-liter Coca-Cola bottle. Remove the cap and attach it to the mouth of your mini pie tin with masking tape to prevent any fog leakage. This is your "fog dispenser."

Step 3: Heat Fog Dispenser

Suspend your fog dispenser over your big candle, and light all three candle wicks. The candle and dispenser should be close enough that the flames heat the pie tin. Allow the pie tin to heat up fully.

Step 4: Fuel Fog Dispenser

Add a teaspoon of fog juice into the bottle and watch as fog wafts out of the dispenser! When the fog starts running low, periodically add more teaspoons of fog juice.

And that's all there is to it. Got your own secret tricks for adding some creepy fog to Halloween parties? Share with us by commenting below.