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If the LPG gas cylinder suddenly runs out while cooking in the kitchen, it creates a huge problem for the housewives and the entire family. Often people try to estimate how much gas is left in the cylinder by lifting or shaking it, but the iron of the cylinder itself is so heavy that the correct amount can never be known in this way. Apart from this, there is a risk of the regulator nozzle or pipe becoming loose due to repeated shaking or dragging of the heavy cylinder. Many times, due to confusion, people are not able to book a new cylinder ahead of time and the stove stops working at the last moment. But do you know that without any digital meter or weighing machine, just by using a simple wet cloth, you can see in front of your eyes what the gas level has reached in the cylinder? This is not magic but a very effective home-made jugaad based purely on a simple rule of physics.
To try this easy and safe method, you do not need any expensive equipment at all, just a cotton cloth available at home and a little normal water. First of all, soak a clean cotton towel or cloth thoroughly in water and squeeze it lightly so that water stops dripping but the cloth remains completely moist. After this, wrap the wet cloth thoroughly around the cylinder or in the form of a straight strip from top to bottom, so that the outer iron surface of the cylinder becomes completely wet. After removing the cloth, all you have to do is observe the surface of the cylinder carefully for two to three minutes. You will find that some part of the cylinder dries very quickly as soon as it comes in contact with air, while the surface below a certain part remains moist and wet for a long time. Wherever the wetness remains intact, understand that the level of liquid gas inside the cylinder is present exactly till that point.
Behind this easy home-made method lies the deep scientific logic of thermodynamics and evaporation. We all know that LPG i.e. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) filled in domestic cylinders is filled in liquid state under heavy pressure. This gas is extremely cold from inside, due to which the temperature of the iron wall of the cylinder in the part where liquid gas is present remains much lower than the outside environment. On the other hand, in the upper part of the cylinder which has been emptied, there is only light vapor and the iron in that part remains as hot as the normal room temperature. When you apply water coating on the entire cylinder, the water in the empty and hot part evaporates rapidly as soon as it comes in contact with air and that part dries up immediately. On the contrary, in the part which is filled with cold gas inside, due to the coldness of the iron, the water does not dry quickly and the moisture remains visible in the form of a clean line for a long time. This line of demarcation tells you exactly whether the cylinder is half full, one-fourth left or on the verge of finishing.
It is often seen that when the gas pressure starts decreasing, people bend the cylinder or start shaking it vigorously on the ground. According to security experts and gas companies, doing so can prove to be extremely dangerous. By tilting the cylinder too much or turning it upside down, the heavy silt and impurities accumulated inside can directly reach the burner through the valve and gas pipe, which can jam the gas flow or sudden large leakage can create the risk of fire. Apart from this, moving the cylinder suddenly puts extra pressure on the old and worn regulator, due to which there is a possibility of the rubber washer getting cut. Therefore, the safe way is to always keep the cylinder standing upright on level ground and whenever in doubt, measure the gas level using this wet cloth method and book a new refill in time.
In today’s time, all the government oil marketing companies like Indane, Bharat Gas and HP Gas have made the process of gas booking very simple and digital. If you keep checking the gas level with this wet cloth trick once or twice a month, then as soon as you see that only 15 to 20 percent gas is left in the cylinder, you can immediately schedule a new cylinder by giving a WhatsApp message or missed call from your registered mobile number. By booking on time, there will be no fear of running out of gas during festivals and holidays, nor will you have to ask for a cylinder from a neighbor or order expensive food from a restaurant. This simple home technique is 100% safe and proves to be extremely helpful in managing both your kitchen budget and time.