How to Improvise a Spacer for an Asthma Attack (Coffee Cup Method) — First Aid in Australia

Short on a proper spacer during an asthma flare-up? In a real-world first aid situation, you can improvise a spacer using a clean coffee cup to help someone get more out of their blue/grey reliever (Ventolin®/salbutamol). This guide explains when to use this hack, exactly how to do it safely, and why spacers matter. It also links to Australian first-aid guidance so you can act with confidence and stay within best practice.

Important: A coffee-cup spacer is an emergency workaround only. Whenever possible, use a TGA-approved spacer. Keep one in your kit, school bag, sports bag and glovebox. Our locally packed kits are trusted by workplaces across NSW and include spacer options so you’re ready next time.

Why spacers matter (and how they help Ventolin work better)

First Aid Kits with Asthma Kits Australia

Spacers are simple “holding chambers” that slow the aerosol coming out of a pressurised metered-dose inhaler (pMDI). That pause lets the medicine be inhaled slowly and deeply, so more medication deposits in the lungs (where it’s needed) and less is wasted in the mouth and throat. For first aiders, that means faster relief with fewer side-effects like throat irritation. In kids, a spacer can make technique easier and more consistent, especially when teamed with a face mask.

First aid for asthma in Australia (the quick refresher)

In Australia, the standard asthma first aid taught by leading bodies uses a simple approach with a pMDI and spacer:

Sit the person upright and reassure. Do not leave them alone.
Give 4 separate puffs of a reliever (blue/grey puffer) via spacer. One puff at a time, with 4 breaths after each puff.
Wait 4 minutes. If there’s no improvement, repeat step 2.
Call Triple Zero (000) if symptoms are severe, not improving, or you are worried at any point. Keep repeating reliever while you wait for the ambulance.

Always follow the person’s Asthma Action Plan if they have one, and be alert to anaphylaxis in those with known allergies—adrenaline first if anaphylaxis is suspected, then asthma first aid.

First Aid Kits with Asthma Spacers in Australia 2025

How to improvise a spacer with a coffee cup (when no spacer is available)

Again: a coffee-cup spacer is not a replacement for approved devices—it’s a practical hack to use only until you can access a proper spacer.

What you’ll need

A clean, dry coffee cup (disposable paper cup or rigid cup; no cracks; no hot liquid or residue).
The person’s reliever puffer (Ventolin®/salbutamol) or an emergency reliever from your kit.
(Optional) A simple mask or funnel (paper/card) to help kids or anyone struggling to seal lips to the cup.

Step-by-step

Prepare the puffer. Remove the cap, shake well.
Make the “chamber”. Hold the cup rim firmly against the base of the puffer mouthpiece to create a rough seal. (If the cup has a small “sip” hole lid you can experiment with that hole as a mouthpiece—but a plain cup works well.)
Charge the cup. Press the puffer once so the dose sprays into the cup chamber.
Inhale from the cup. Place lips around the cup rim (or mask/funnel) and take 4 slow breaths in and out through the cup. Keep the rim sealed to minimise leaks.
Repeat puffs as per first aid. For each additional puff, shake the puffer, spray once into the cup, then 4 breaths.

Tips for kids

Use a gentle face seal with a small mask or paper/card funnel placed in the cup opening.
Coach calm, steady breaths. Count breaths out loud or use fingers so they know when they can have the next puff.

Safety notes

Do not use if the cup is wet, hot, cracked or contaminated (food/coffee residue)—it will reduce dose and could be unsafe.
Keep the person upright. Stop if they deteriorate; call 000 if symptoms are severe or not improving.
Swap to a real spacer as soon as available. Add one to your kit today: browse our First Aid Kits with Spacers, designed especially for daycares and schools.

Watch: Coffee-Cup Spacer Demo (Samantha Kerr)

In this short video, Samantha shows the coffee-cup technique step-by-step and what to say to keep someone calm while they take their reliever.

Best practice: managing asthma as a first aider

Stay with the person, keep them upright, and speak calmly. If they have an Asthma Action Plan, follow it. If not, use the standard first aid steps above. If there’s no reliever available, call 000 and follow call-taker instructions. Children and anyone with known risk of anaphylaxis should be watched closely—give adrenaline first if you suspect anaphylaxis, then asthma first aid.

Skill fades over time. If you’re a workplace first aider or a sports coach/teacher, review the national guidance each season and consider printing the latest Asthma First Aid poster for your venue. For families, the Asthma Action Plan is essential, and many parents find a repeatable routine with a spacer makes flare-ups less frightening.

Spacer vs nebuliser in first aid

Modern guidance in Australia consistently supports the use of a pMDI with spacer for acute symptoms—it’s quick, portable and effective for delivering salbutamol in first aid settings. Nebulisers are generally reserved for clinical settings or specific advice from a health professional. Your goal as a first aider is effective delivery fast; a spacer helps you achieve that.

Practical kit upgrades (so you won’t need to improvise next time)

Pack a spacer (adult mouthpiece; child mask + spacer) in each first aid kit. See our first aid kits with asthma spacers here.
Add a blue/grey reliever if your setting’s policy allows an emergency puffer (e.g., schools, sports). Follow local protocols.
Print first aid steps and store with the kit. Train your team—our training is trusted by workplaces across NSW.

FAQs

Is a coffee-cup spacer as good as a real spacer?

No. It’s an emergency workaround that mimics a holding chamber. A certified spacer provides better seal, known chamber volume and valves for easier breathing—use one wherever possible.

How many breaths per puff?

With a spacer (or the improvised cup), aim for four slow breaths after each single puff during first aid. In very young children, normal tidal breaths through a mask are fine—focus on a good seal.

When do I call Triple Zero (000)?

If symptoms are severe, if there’s no improvement after initial reliever, or at any time you are worried. Keep giving reliever as instructed while you wait for the ambulance.

Does a spacer really make Ventolin work better?

Yes. Spacers slow and hold the aerosol so more medication reaches the lower airways and less is wasted in the mouth/throat. That often means faster relief and fewer side-effects.

Is this advice suitable for children?

Yes—with age-appropriate technique. Under ~4 years, use a spacer with a mask (or a gentle funnel in the cup method). Over ~4 years, a mouthpiece is usually fine if they can seal lips and breathe steadily.

Seconds count. Don’t rely on hacks—pack a proper spacer.
Our school and excursion first aid kits are built for asthma events, with proper spacers included so staff and students can act fast. Add one to every kit you look after and make it standard practice across your campus, club, or workplace.

Explore & equip:

NSW Dept of Education First Aid Backpack → https://assurancefirstaidkits.com.au/products/nsw-dept-education-first-aid-backpack
NSW Dept of Education First Aid Box → https://assurancefirstaidkits.com.au/products/nsw-dept-education-first-aid-box
Excursion Backpack (school trips & sport) → https://assurancefirstaidkits.com.au/products/excursion-backpack
Space Chamber Slim Spacer (compact, classroom-ready) → https://assurancefirstaidkits.com.au/products/space-chamber-slim-cardboard-spacer-10-5cm-x-14-2cm?_pos=1&_psq=spacer&_ss=e&_v=1.0&variant=40414789566499
Share this with your school, club, or workplace so everyone knows where the spacer is—and how to use it.

Author

This article was written by Samantha Kerr, founder of Assurance First Aid Kits Samantha has been a first aid trainer for 19 years, has studied to become an EMT, and worked as a Patient Transport Officer in remote NSW.