What happens if you get calcium chloride on your skin?

Author: Dr. Katelynn Harvey  |  Last update: Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Due to its hygroscopic nature—its ability to attract and absorb moisture—calcium chloride becomes highly reactive when it contacts the skin. In both solid and dissolved forms, this chemical can lead to irritation, dryness, or even chemical burns if proper safety precautions are not taken.

Is calcium chloride harmful to skin?

Calcium Chloride Health Hazards

In extreme cases of exposure or ingestion, this chemical can cause skin burns, cardiac disturbances, respiration issues, and seizures.

What happens if calcium touches your skin?

This means that if you get it on your skin, it can get into cracks and pores and easily dry out your skin to the point of cracking, and will cause irritation or worse if you get it in your eyes, for example.

What should you do if you touch calcium chloride?

Repeated or prolonged exposure may cause skin irritation or even a burn. Calcium chloride is not likely to be absorbed through the skin. However, where skin contamination does occur, the affected area should be flushed thoroughly with plenty of water while removing contaminated clothing.

Can you wash off calcium chloride?

Calcium chloride is not really very corrosive - well maybe to metals, but not to fabric, plastic, etc. It is also highly water soluble, so easy to wash up. If there is an oily spot on your floor - it isn't calcium chloride. Try cleaning it with soap or detergent. Lemon juice won't do anything.

How to Test Your Concrete Subfloor for Moisture - (Calcium Chloride Test)

What does calcium chloride do to the human body?

CALCIUM CHLORIDE (KAL see um KLOOR ide) increases calcium levels in your body. Calcium is a mineral that plays an important role in building strong bones and maintaining heart health. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

How do you remove calcium chloride?

Sometimes using a small amount of warm water to soften up the spot will speed up the process. After applying the water, apply HOST cleaner over the area and allow to dry. Vacuum when dry. In extreme cases, flush the area with a wet extraction machine.

Is calcium chloride safe for sidewalks?

Calcium chloride is safe to use on most concrete surfaces when applied correctly. Minimizes damage to concrete while effectively melting ice and snow. Direct contact with calcium chloride can cause skin and eye irritation. It is important to handle this with care and use protective measures.

What to do if you get corrosive chemicals on your skin?

Rinse the affected area continuously with clean water as soon as possible to remove any residual chemical. Try to make sure the water can run off of the affected area without pooling on the skin and potentially spreading the chemical to a wider area. Only use water – do not rub or wipe the area.

Is chloride safe to touch?

Chlorine irritates the skin and can cause burning pain, inflammation, and blisters. Exposure to liquefied chlorine can result in frostbite. There is no specific antidote for chlorine poisoning.

What are the dangers of calcium chloride?

The substance is severely irritating to the skin, upper respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract. A harmful concentration of airborne particles can be reached quickly when dispersed. Repeated or prolonged contact with skin may cause dermatitis. The substance may have effects on the nasal mucous membrane.

What does calcium do to your skin?

Calcium ions (Ca2+) and their concentration gradient in the epidermis are essential in regulating many skin functions, including keratinocyte differentiation, skin barrier formation, and permeability barrier homeostasis.

Is calcium chloride just salt?

Calcium chloride is an inorganic compound – a salt with the chemical formula CaCl2. It is white flakes or pellets at room temperature, and is highly soluble in water.

What happens if you get chloride on your skin?

Skin/Eye Contact

Exposure to high levels of methylene chloride vapor can cause skin and eye irritation. Prolonged dermal contact with liquid methylene chloride may produce chemical burns. Methylene chloride is absorbed slowly through intact skin but probably not in quantities that cause acute systemic toxicity.

How much calcium chloride is toxic?

Acute Toxicity

Acute oral toxicity of calcium chloride has been tested in several mice, rat and rabbit studies. The oral lethal median doses (LD50s) values range from 2120–3798 (male) and 2361–4179 (female) mg/kg bw in rats to 2045 (male) and 1940 (female) mg/kg bw in mice (Akatsuka, 1997).

What happens if you get calcium chloride in your eyes?

Eye contact with calcium chloride can cause serious irritation and most likely eye burns. Skin contact with calcium chloride can cause burns and irritation most especially when the skin is moist or wet.

What does a chemical burn look like on skin?

Types of Chemical Burns

Partial thickness or second-degree burns extend into the second layer of skin called the dermis. You may have blisters and swelling, and it may leave scars. Full thickness or third-degree burns go through the skin and may damage tissue underneath. The area may look black or white.

What happens if you get chemicals on your skin?

Direct—Exposure to chemicals can cause effects at the point of contact. These are called direct effects and include defatting/ drying, irritation, corrosion, changes in pigmentation, chloracne, and skin cancer.

How do you neutralize a chemical reaction in the skin?

Flush the chemicals off the skin surface using cool running water for 15 minutes or more unless the chemical exposure is to dry lime (calcium oxide, also called 'quick lime') or to elemental metals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, and lithium.

What is the problem with calcium chloride in concrete?

Adding calcium chloride to your concrete mix can disrupt this bond and expose the steel to rust and corrosion, compromising the strength of concrete.

Will calcium chloride hurt pavers?

Therefore, ice melt products like rock salt or calcium chloride can be used on the pavers in your walk, patio or driveway. However, it is corrosive and can damage the surface of the pavers if used excessively or over long periods of time. It's a good idea to apply these products in layers.

Is calcium chloride corrosive?

All tank components and associated equipment should be of materials with known compatibility. Calcium chloride is considered corrosive, incompatible and/or reactive to many metals including stainless steel, mild iron and galvanized steel.

What to do if you get calcium chloride on your skin?

Eye Contact: If contact lenses are present, remove them and immediately flush your eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes to prevent damage. Seek medical attention. Skin Contact: Flush the affected area with plenty of water, remove contaminated clothing, and wash with soap.

Does water dissolve calcium chloride?

Calcium chloride is an inorganic compound, a salt with the chemical formula CaCl 2. It is a white crystalline solid at room temperature, and it is highly soluble in water.

What neutralises calcium chloride?

Try vinegar right out of the bottle. If you see it foam some, it's working! Flush well with water when foaming stops and inspect. Repeat vinegar as needed.

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