[Sedate]

The best way to neutralise an acid is to provide it with a "base" chemical. This neutralises the acid. The best I can think of is limewater - pure lime water - not the cloudy white stuff. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limewater)

The by product will be gypsum powder, which will be easy to remove.This will inhibit any futher corrosion. For already corroded parts,this will help remove even traces of acid.

http://www.phadjustment.com/TArticle...alization.html

[Thad E Ginathom]

When unsealed batteries were the norm, the base and bracket holding them often succumbed to acid corrosion.

Thank you, I didn't know about that one.

The usual things around the house that are to hand are soap (not detergent) and baking powder.

For immediate treatment of a tiny drop, even saliva is alkaline!

Please excuse me. From ignorance, I am probably misusing the terms base and alkaline, but, to the non-chemist, it is alkaline that we think of as being opposite to, and neutralising, acid.

Speaking of ignorance, it is only recently that I learnt that the liquid from leaking alkaline batteries has to be neutralised with an acid, eg vinegar. Duh... Rust was probably obvious to everyone else!

[saket77]

In addition to what member Sedate & Thad says, it is easier to comprehend the entire thing if we know & understand the pH scale. A rating of 7 on the pH scale is neutral, which means neither acidic nor basic/ alkaline. As you proceed from 7 to Zero (in reverse), solutions become more acidic and as you go higher from 7, they tend to become more basic in nature. So, it is quite obvious now that anything acidic is neutralized with a base and anything basic, though un-instinctively , has to be neutralized by an acid! By neutralizing, we try to bring the stuff close to the 7 mark on the pH scale.

For easy understanding, this chart should help:


Regards,
Saket

[frewper]

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

It's funny Maruti says it is not able to deal with such type of issues. A manufacturer should be to assist with all types of problems with their cars.

I dont think service center ever does uphoslstey problems. And for the acid water spill over, one will have to put in a lot of water to neutralize it first and about the foam, how do you remove the acid from the foam?. In such a case it better to remove all the seats and carpet and clean the car with water, wash the carpet and with the acid in the foam, it better to replace them. No matter how much you clean them, you may have leftover. I would not want to inhale any fumes.

[Sutripta]

Buy a box of Ph indicator test strips (~ Rs 300) and check how extensive the problem is.
Sulphuric acid other than being an acid is a very strong dehydrator. Also makes it highly hygroscopic.

Regards
Sutripta

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Also makes it highly hygroscopic.

Thanks, that was the word I was trying to remember!

And my hunch is that, however much water one adds, until we get into homeopathic territory, there is still acid there, and it can still corrode.