# Baking soda to treat burns?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baking-soda-to-treat-burns/227590>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 5, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baking-soda-to-treat-burns/227590 "2004-02-05T01:23:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![freewill39](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d2c977/32.png) [@freewill39](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freewill39)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baking-soda-to-treat-burns/227590/1 "2004-02-05T01:23:38Z")

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My mother always told me that the best thing way to treat a burn was to mix baking soda with water, and coat the burn with it.

She once told me a story about how my aunt, when she was a toddler, had a pot of boiling water from the stove spill on her. According to the story, my grandmother coated her with the mixture and rushed her to the hospital. And, according to the story, she still has a scar on the one part of her body where my grandmother supposedly missed putting the mixture.

Anyone have any insight as to the validity or fallacy of this ‘remedy’?

```
                       - Freewill39.
```

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**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baking-soda-to-treat-burns/227590/2 "2004-02-05T02:27:31Z")

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Dissolving sodium bicarbonate in water is endothermic. It sucks in heat.

The best treatment for burns is cold water.

Yes it sounds like a true story. These days though we have fridges, so ice packs and ice cubes as well as cold water are more convenient.

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**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baking-soda-to-treat-burns/227590/3 "2004-02-05T04:21:55Z")

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During my Standard First Aid course, the instructor told us that pretty much anything that was put on a burn had to be scraped off at the hospital. Cold water is the best immediate treatment, and then a loose, dry dressing to cover lightly while seeking medical attention.

Other “home” remedies to avoid include butter (fries the wound nicely), any cosmetic or hand creams and elastic bandages.

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**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baking-soda-to-treat-burns/227590/4 "2004-02-05T08:30:42Z")

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Baking soda is a decent neutralizer for acid burns. For scalding water I agree that cold water and/or ice is better first aid.

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baking-soda-to-treat-burns/227590/5 "2004-02-05T14:24:37Z")

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From my wife who works the OR at a burn center at a majot Philadelphia Hospital : cool water, but not excessively cold (I mean, if you have a choice)

Vanilla. They do use vanilla to keep scars to a minimum.

In sever cases, most decisions should be left to a doc experienced with this. At first, the objective is to get cool water on the burn. In more severe cases, it’s cool water and saline solution to prevent infection.

In minor burns, cool water and vanilla.

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**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baking-soda-to-treat-burns/227590/6 "2004-02-06T00:21:30Z")

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For minor burns, a COLD, wet teabag helps, too.

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**Author:** ![Droc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58f4c7/32.png) [@Droc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Droc)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baking-soda-to-treat-burns/227590/7 "2004-02-06T00:38:45Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by **Phillster**  
> _Vanilla. They do use vanilla to keep scars to a minimum_

Of the extract or ice cream variety?

-Droc