How Do You Treat a Chemical Burn?
Get the chemical off quickly. For chemical exposures, the CDC says to take off as many of your clothes as you can, even if only to your underwear, because taking off your clothes removes 80 to 90 percent of the chemical, and then to wash from head to feet with lukewarm water and mild soap for at least 2 to 3 minutes, keeping water out of your eyes, nose and mouth and not scrubbing. NIOSH's first aid procedures say that if a solid chemical contacts the skin, dust it off immediately and then flush the skin with water, and that clothing a chemical has penetrated should be removed promptly.
For the eyes, the CDC says to flush them for 10 to 15 minutes if they are burning or you cannot see normally, and not to use eyedrops. NIOSH's procedure for chemicals that need immediate eye irrigation is to wash the eyes with large amounts of water, occasionally lifting the lower and upper lids, and to get medical attention immediately.
Strong caustics need longer rinsing. For skin contact with sodium hydroxide, or lye, New Jersey's Department of Health says to wash gently with large amounts of water for at least 30 minutes and seek medical attention immediately. For expert advice, the federal Poison Help program says to call 1-800-222-1222 when accidents happen with chemicals, and to call 911 right away if someone has trouble breathing.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceThe CDC says to take off as many of your clothes as you can after a chemical exposure, even if only to your underwear, and that taking off your clothes removes 80 to 90 percent of the chemical. CDC ↗
- Government sourceThe CDC says to wash from head to feet with lukewarm water and mild soap for at least 2 to 3 minutes, try not to let water run into your eyes, nose and mouth, and not to scrub. CDC ↗
- Government sourceThe CDC says to flush your eyes for 10 to 15 minutes if they are burning or you cannot see normally, and not to use eyedrops. CDC ↗
- Government sourceNIOSH says that if a solid chemical contacts the skin, dust it off immediately and then flush the skin with water, and promptly remove clothing the chemical has penetrated. NIOSH, CDC ↗
- Government sourceNIOSH says that for chemicals requiring immediate eye irrigation, wash the eyes with large amounts of water, occasionally lifting the lower and upper lids, and get medical attention immediately. NIOSH, CDC ↗
- Government sourceFor skin contact with sodium hydroxide, New Jersey's Department of Health says to wash gently with large amounts of water for at least 30 minutes and seek medical attention immediately. New Jersey Department of Health ↗
- Government sourceThe federal Poison Help program says to call 1-800-222-1222 when accidents happen with chemicals, and to call 911 right away if someone has trouble breathing. HRSA Poison Help, via web.archive.org ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.