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Do you know how to neutralize battery acid?
My brother was showing me how to change my car battery. I almost dropped the old one and he said the battery could spill everywhere and he didn’t remember what we’d need to neutralize it. For future reference, do you know how to neutralize battery acid?
Melanie Mergen · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Battery acid is highly corrosive, making it extremely dangerous to handle. You could end up with serious chemical burns, and a damaged car battery could have a higher risk of igniting or exploding. How to neutralize battery acid will depend on the type of car battery you have.
- Lead-acid or nickel-cadmium battery: Dispers some baking soda across the spill area until it’s completely covered. Once it stops fizzing, you can use a baking soda and water mixture to scrub down the area.
- Lithium battery: If you drive a hybrid or electric vehicle, your car might use a lithium battery. You can neutralize lithium battery acid with water, so you can wipe up a spill with a damp towel.
Before handling any battery acid spill, be sure to wear protective gloves, a face mask, and eyewear. Make sure the area is properly ventilated, too, as battery acid can be harmful to inhale.
After cleaning up a battery acid spill, it’s important to contain and dispose of it properly—don’t just throw the battery and the spilled acid out with your regular trash! You don’t want your city’s sanitation crew to get hurt because they were unknowingly handling your hazardous materials.
You’ll want to double-bag your old battery with durable trash bags and tightly seal them. Lithium batteries can explode when damaged, so you’ll additionally want to put these in another container.
You can check with your local municipality for used car battery drop-off sites and instructions on how to properly dispose of each kind in your area.
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- Gregory R.
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