Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a strong acid that fully dissociates in water to give H⁺ ions, which is why a spill is corrosive and dangerous to skin and surfaces. To make it safe, the acid must be neutralised — that is, reacted with a base so the H⁺ ions are consumed and the mixture is brought close to neutral (pH ≈ 7).

The correct choice is a baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO₃) solution, because NaHCO₃ is a mild, weak base. It reacts with the acid as:

NaHCO₃ + HCl → NaCl + H₂O + CO₂

The products are common salt, water, and carbon dioxide gas — none of which is hazardous. Baking soda is the preferred neutraliser for acid spills for several practical reasons:

• Being a weak base, it cannot itself create a dangerously alkaline (caustic) spill even if used in excess, unlike a strong base such as NaOH.
• The visible fizzing of CO₂ gives a clear indication of where acid is still present and when the reaction is complete.
• It is cheap, safe to handle, and readily available in kitchens and laboratories.

The other options cannot neutralise the acid:

• Lemon juice (contains citric acid) and vinegar (contains acetic acid) are themselves acidic. Adding an acid to an acid only makes the spill more acidic and more hazardous.
• Sugar solution is essentially neutral and chemically inert toward HCl; it would merely dilute the acid slightly without neutralising the H⁺ ions.