What type of chemical does one use to clean up car battery acid ?

Question

In other words, how do I clean up and dispose spilled Automotive Battery acid safely ?

Answer 1

Baking soda, washing soda, or lime. If the spill is not large, baking soda is the easiest; simply apply it to excess and then sweep up and mop up the mess. Several responders have suggested soda; that is not correct: you need an alkali, not an acid.

Answer 2

When that happens to me at the shop, I cover the area with Coke Cola, and then take a scrubbing broom (basically is a broom with the bristles cut down so thier very stiff), scrubb it in, and then take a box of baking soda and cover the same area, the Coke will absorb into the baking soda, and will be able to be swept up (depending on how much Coke was used, and how much baking soda was used) and then can be properly disposed of. If you are useing just Coke, do not let it run into the streets or sewer systems, as battery acid is very dangerious, after it has been diluted with Coke, the very least you can do is cover the area with "Floor Dry" or sawdust or somethign what will absorb the coke and battery acid, then place in a plastic bag and properly dispose of it. Be carful around it, as battery acid can leave some very nasty burns.

Answer 3

The Auto Zone guy told me to use baking soda and water to clean up the caked on dried battery acid on the battery platform in the car. I don't know how you would dispose of acid that spilled directly out of a battery. I would not suggest using baking soda on that because you might cause an reaction that could generate heat or an explosion. Don't remember my chemistry well enough to know for sure. Honestly, if I had a big enough battery acid spill, I'd call 911 and get them to send the HazMat guys. But if it's just a little bit, say, on the driveway, diluting it with massive amounts of water might be enough.

Answer 4

Where did it spill? If it spilled on the garage floor or carport or driveway you can do one of two things. You can grab a box of baking soda and dump the baking soda in the spill. The acid will start to bubble when the soda begins neutralizing the acid. Then use cat litter to soak up the liquid. Then scoop the cat litter into a trash can and everything will be fine. If it spilled on the battery tray of your vehicle then take baking soda and coat the acid with enough baking soda to soak up the acid. Then, after the acid quits bubbling just simply rinse off with water from a garden hose.

Answer 5

Cover the spill liberally with with baking soda. When this is absorbed and swept away, sprinkle a little water on the spill area and again, cover with a generous amount of baking soda. And that should do the trick.

Answer 6

Not possible. There are 3 reasons for battery failure in general: Mechanical failure of the connectors linking the cells inside the battery The active coating dropping of the plates to the bottom of the battery If a battery sits discharged too long the lead sulphate forms big inactive crystals that won't reconvert to oxide on charging; there used to be products that claimed to reverse this, but they were snake oil.

Answer 7

Baking soda neutralizes the acid.
it will foam up and leave a dry powder when dried.
coca cola has an acid in it and doesn't neutralize the acid but in fact dilutes it.
H2O will dilute it to a manageable point (more water the better)

Answer 8

Well, depends on how much is spilled exactally....If you make a solution of baking soda and water (measurments dont matter, just dump together) and pour on battery acid it will neutralize it. This is how one cleans their battery teminals... Hope this helps!

Answer 9

Either coke or baking soda will dilute the acid. Then simply fresh water to clean up.

Answer 10

You want to use something alkaline, such as baking soda. This will stop the acid and turn it into a salt. The salt may corrode also, use water.