The Shaken Soda Can Hack That (Almost) Always Avoids A Fizzy Explosion

There's nothing worse than opening a can of soda only to have it go spewing all over you. What was supposed to be a refreshing drink has turned into a trip to the dry cleaners. By this point, almost everyone knows that you shouldn't shake a canned soda. The carbonation in the drink, which gives the drink its fizz, can lead to explosive results. But, what do you do if you accidentally jostled your soda during transportation?

While you could cautiously wait a minute or two for your soda to settle down, TikTok has introduced us to a hack that may potentially speed things up a bit. It's not just a soda myth. If you want to calm down your soda, then you should consider giving it a massage. Now, before you chuckle and close the browser, there's a certain method to this madness. By gently massaging the sides of the can, you help break up some of those carbonated bubbles. As one TikToker demonstrated, this should in theory stop your soda from spewing everywhere. 

The hack joins other methods of stopping one's soda from spewing, including turning the drink upside down or tapping the top of the can. TikTok has shown this hack to work, but results, of course, may vary. 

In order to explain why this hack should in theory work, first we need to walk through why soda cans spew in the first place. Soda cans have changed a lot, but some basic things remain. Carbonated drinks contain carbon dioxide in a pressurized state. While the carbon dioxide has been dissolved into the liquid of the drink, shaking the drink causes bubbles to form. While you may see only a can, the carbon dioxide inside is fizzing and looking for a way out. When you open the can, that disrupts the pressure inside of it. In its agitated state, the carbon dioxide will rush to the surface of the can and cause the drink to explode out everywhere. 

@tybottofficial

TRYING SODA CAN HACK @tybottofficial

♬ original sound – TyBott

So, what does this hack do? The soda hack is useful in that it should theoretically break up these bubbles, allowing the carbon dioxide to settle back into the liquid. By massaging the sides of the can, you encourage the soda to basically settle back down. It's the same logic behind tapping the top of the can. While using these hacks should help avoid a soda disaster, it's not a foolproof method either. Every time you open your soda, you're testing your luck. If you want better results, consider just waiting a few minutes.