What happened to alkaline batteries ?

[tod701]

"Baking soda neutralizes battery acidity."

One would use baking soda on an acid battery but alkaline batteries are on the opposite pH range from an acid, which is why one would use a weak acid (vinegar or lemon juice for example) to neutralize / remove it.  The crap that comes out of an alkaline battery is mostly potassium hydroxide, which has a pH of 14.  Pure sulfuric acid has a pH close to zero.

Mahalo for the correction - I should have known this.