Understand the concept of neutralization: Neutralization is a chemical reaction where an acid reacts with a base to produce water and a salt, effectively canceling out the acidic properties.
Identify the nature of the spill: Since the spill is acidic, it contains excess hydrogen ions (H\_3O\^+ or H\^+).
Determine what is needed to neutralize an acid: To neutralize an acid, you need to add a substance that can react with the hydrogen ions to reduce their concentration.
Recall that bases provide hydroxide ions (OH\^-) which react with hydrogen ions to form water, thus neutralizing the acid.
Conclude that adding a base such as NaOH (sodium hydroxide) will neutralize the acid spill, whereas adding more acid, carbon dioxide, or just water will not effectively neutralize it.