Sodium in Escape from Tarkov: Uses, Spawns and Hideout Need

"Sodium" is the short name of the Pack of sodium bicarbonate, a 1x1 household barter item that weighs 0.5 kg. It has no effect when used and cannot heal or buff anything, so it is not a medical item. Its value comes from one hideout upgrade, three trader swaps and one craft.

Checked against the official Escape from Tarkov wiki after patch 1.3.0 (29 October 2026): it lists the same values for PvP and PvE, so nothing here differs between the two modes.

What Sodium is used for

Use	Details
Hideout	5 packs are needed for Nutrition Unit level 3
Trader swap, Therapist loyalty level 2	1 Sodium for 1 IFAK individual first aid kit
Trader swap, Therapist loyalty level 3	Disposable syringe, Bottle of hydrogen peroxide and 1 Sodium for 1 SJ1 TGLabs combat stimulant injector
Trader swap, Jaeger loyalty level 2	1 Sodium for one 20/70 Dangerous Game Slug ammo pack (25 pcs)
Craft, Lavatory level 2	Soap, Alkaline cleaner for heat exchangers and 1 Sodium make 3 Ox bleach in 38 minutes 30 seconds

The wiki lists no quest that needs it. The Ox bleach craft only converts three household items into three Ox bleach, so it is the weakest of its uses.

Nutrition Unit level 3

This is the reason most players pick Sodium up. Nutrition Unit level 3 needs:

• 125,000 roubles
• 5 Can of Majaica coffee beans
• 5 Pack of sodium bicarbonate
• 2 Smoked Chimney drain cleaner, found in raid
• Metabolism skill level 3
• Generator level 2, Lavatory level 2 and Stash level 2

Construction takes 14 hours. The module then unlocks crafts such as Bottle of Tarkovskaya vodka and Can of Hot Rod energy drink, raises energy regeneration by 18 EP/hr (36 EP/hr in total) and adds hydration regeneration of 12 WP/hr. Only the two Smoked Chimney cleaners must be found in raid; the Sodium carries no such mark, so it can come from any source.

The hideout table has changed since mid-2026. In the wiki revision of 30 July 2026, level 3 asked for Lavatory level 3 and level 2 needed Alkaline cleaner found in raid and took 4 hours. In the revision of 1 November 2026, level 3 asks for Lavatory level 2 and level 2 has no found-in-raid item and builds instantly. That fits patch 1.1.0 (3 August 2026), which the official notes describe as simplifying construction requirements and removing the found-in-raid condition from some materials; the wiki revisions are the evidence for the Nutrition Unit specifically.

The Metabolism requirement is easier since update 1.3.0 (29 October 2026): skill progress is now calculated from the amount of energy or hydration restored, and skill leveling in Seasonal mode was made much faster.

Where Sodium spawns

The wiki lists container types, not map spawn points:

• Sport bags
• Dead Scavs
• Ground caches
• Buried barrel caches
• Medical supply crates

That is why the older claim that Sodium sits on chemical shelves in Interchange, Labs and Factory has been dropped from this page. It is a loose household item, so it turns up wherever those containers appear. Search every sport bag and medical supply crate you pass, and keep what you find: five packs is a small number to collect over a few raids.

Common mistakes

• Treating it as medicine. Tarkov medicine uses items such as pills, injectors and kits, and Sodium has no use effect.
• Selling all of them. The hideout needs 5, and the Therapist and Jaeger swaps are better than the Ox bleach craft.
• Hunting only for found-in-raid Sodium. The requirement has no such mark, so a pack from any source counts.
• Starting the upgrade without Metabolism 3, Generator 2, Lavatory 2 and Stash 2, which gate the build.

Related terms

• Meds and barter items glossary: Sodium, dry fuel and cigarettes in one place.
• Hideout modules glossary: production, storage and support modules.
• Augmentin: a medical item used in several crafts.
• Water Collector: the hydration module.

For the medical side of the game, see the Tarkov medical guide. Roubles for the 125,000 level 3 fee are on the Tarkov roubles page.

FAQ

What is Sodium in Tarkov?

Sodium is the in-game short name of the Pack of sodium bicarbonate, a household barter item. It is used for the Nutrition Unit level 3 upgrade, three trader swaps and one Lavatory craft.

How many Sodium do I need?

Five, all for Nutrition Unit level 3. The trader swaps take one each and are optional.

Does Sodium have to be found in raid?

No. The hideout table marks only the two Smoked Chimney drain cleaners as found in raid, so Sodium from any source counts.

Can I use Sodium to heal?

No. It is a generic loot item with no use effect.