# How to clean up a chemical accident? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 25, 2016, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-clean-up-a-chemical-accident/747059 "2016-02-25T02:39:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Artemis\_Tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@Artemis\_Tardis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Artemis_Tardis)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-clean-up-a-chemical-accident/747059/1 "2016-02-25T02:39:29Z")
I was baking some cookies today that used Sal ammoniac. It is not so easy to find now, but the ingredient is key on making amazingly crispy baked goods. It does make your kitchen smell like horse pee, though. (a “funny” prank that I made more than once was to tell an unsuspecting victim that the ingredient is used on vanilla cookies, and offering them to take a sniff. Ok, terrible prank…). Anyway. later, I’ve cut some steak on my cutting board, so I cleaned it with bleach. And then I wondered: What if, on severe attack of clumsiness, I managed to mix both things together by accident? I am pretty sure the combination would not be good at all. What should I do? Evacuate the kitchen? Call 911? Open the windows? Is it actually illegal to produce such a dangerous chemical reaction? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-clean-up-a-chemical-accident/747059/2 "2016-02-25T04:16:57Z")
First, ew with the cookies. I would be very unhappy if someone tried to serve me those. Second, if you’re talking the small amount on your cutting board, opening a window and removing yourself and others from the room for a few minutes should be sufficient. Once the reaction stops, the gas will dissipate quickly. If you manage to combine the two in a container, running the container outside would likely be best. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-clean-up-a-chemical-accident/747059/3 "2016-02-25T11:54:24Z")
It depends how much you mixed. Chloramines are volatile and will dissipate with an open window and cross ventilation. For chemical spills that we couldn’t easily clean up, the procedure was to call the fire department. The only time I remember that happening, they (unnecessarily IMO) washed out the hallway with a fire hose for 30 min and made a mess. > [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > First, ew with the cookies. I would be very unhappy if someone tried to serve me those. It’s a standard ingredient some places. Ammonium carbonate isn’t heat-stable, and the breakdown products are volatile. There should be zero odor. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-clean-up-a-chemical-accident/747059/4 "2016-02-25T12:09:47Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > It depends how much you mixed. Chloramines are volatile and will dissipate with an open window and cross ventilation. > > For chemical spills that we couldn’t easily clean up, the procedure was to call the fire department. The only time I remember that happening, they (unnecessarily IMO) washed out the hallway with a fire hose for 30 min and made a mess. > > It’s a standard ingredient some places. Ammonium carbonate isn’t heat-stable, and the breakdown products are volatile. There should be zero odor. It’s Ammonium Chloride. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-clean-up-a-chemical-accident/747059/5 "2016-02-25T12:34:29Z")
So it is. Well it’ll only help leaven the cookies if you’re using it with a base, so still no odor. Otherwise I’m not sure what purpose it serves. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-clean-up-a-chemical-accident/747059/6 "2016-02-25T12:35:30Z")
They urine removers should work… ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-clean-up-a-chemical-accident/747059/7 "2016-02-25T13:18:32Z")
Well, if the cookies don’t turn out, you can always use them to clean your soldering iron. I used to have a block of the stuff just for that purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-clean-up-a-chemical-accident/747059/8 "2016-02-25T13:30:18Z")
Ammonia cookies, made right, are lovely! And sal ammoniac licorice is a delicious (if weird) treat. I’ve got some in my desk drawer.