Write the unbalanced chemical equation
Count the atoms of each element on both sides
Balance one element at a time by changing coefficients
Start with elements that appear in only one reactant and one product
Leave hydrogen and oxygen for last when possible
Use coefficients, not subscripts
Recount atoms after each change
Reduce coefficients to the smallest whole-number ratio
Check that every element has the same number of atoms on both sides
Verify the final equation is balanced