Aside from being a cooking and cleaning hero, can you use baking soda to put out a kitchen fire? 

In this post, we’ll talk about whether baking soda is flammable, what happens if you put it on fire, and whether you can use it to put out a large kitchen fire. 

Is Baking Soda Flammable?

Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is not combustible or flammable. In fact, it is the extinguishing agent used in most types B and C fire extinguishers. 

Additionally, baking soda needs a lot of heat to break down. As a result, it won’t burn at temperatures encountered in usual fires. It can’t also ignite a fire or serve as a fuel source.

You see, baking soda doesn’t catch fire. Instead, it helps put out fires by how it reacts to high temperatures. When baking soda gets hot, it breaks down and produces carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide then helps starve the fire of oxygen― one of the three elements a fire needs to continue burning.

For this reason, baking soda is a handy item to have in your kitchen. Like salt, it can put out a small kitchen fire. 

What Happens if You Put Baking Soda on a Fire? 

When you put baking soda on a fire, it undergoes a chemical reaction because of the heat. Also known as sodium bicarbonate, it starts to break down when heated above approximately 80°C (176°F). Baking soda then produces sodium carbonate, water vapor, and carbon dioxide gas. 

Since carbon dioxide gas is non-flammable and denser than air, it forms a barrier over the fire, cutting off its oxygen supply. Fire needs oxygen to continue burning, so depriving it of oxygen will put it out. 

Baking soda also absorbs some heat, which lowers the temperature. This can help control the fire. 

Can You Use Baking Soda to Put Out a Kitchen Fire?

Yes, you can use baking soda to put out a kitchen fire. Because of the reactions explained above, baking soda can put out small fires, especially grease fires in the kitchen, which get worse by adding water. 

In a nutshell, baking soda is an excellent choice for putting out fires because it’s not flammable, not combustible, and deprives the fire of oxygen. Once you take off one of the elements of the fire triangle― heat, fuel, and oxygen― the fire dies out. 

Can You Use Baking Soda to Put Out a Large Kitchen Fire?

While baking soda can put out kitchen fires, it’s not suitable for huge fires. 

If the fire is big and can’t be quickly put out using baking soda, use a fire blanket, fire spray, or fire extinguisher instead. If you can’t extinguish the fire by yourself, evacuate your house and call 911 immediately. 

Conclusion

You can put out small kitchen fires with baking soda. While it’s not a perfect solution, and you need a lot of it to put out a minor kitchen fire, it’s a practical option in an average kitchen.