How to Remove Accumulated Corrosion From Your Car’s Battery Terminals
It’s not hard to tell when it’s time to wash your car inside and out, but what about the details under the hood?
As it turns out, most car batteries corrode over time. This can lead not only to various electrical problems in the car, but ultimately to reduced battery life, which means you have to pay for a replacement. To avoid this, here’s how to remove accumulated corrosion from your car’s battery terminals.
What is car battery corrosion?
When checking a car’s battery for corrosion, look for white, blue, or greenish granular powder that has formed around the terminals, pins, and/or cables.
While there are some specific issues that can speed up the corrosion process, this is a normal part of your vehicle’s wear and tear. Here’s what’s going on according to Continental Batteries :
When your battery is running, sulfuric acid releases hydrogen gas. The gas then mixes with the air around it. The chemical reaction that occurs when hydrogen gas collides with air, moisture, and salt causes corrosion.
Why is it important to clean car battery terminals?
Your car needs a working battery to run, and batteries can be expensive, so it’s in your best interest to extend battery life . Corrosion around the terminals or elsewhere on the battery causes materials to deteriorate , shortening the life of the battery. It can also disrupt the electrical current in the vehicle and eventually damage the electrical and starting system.
How to remove corrosion on car battery terminals
Your local auto parts store has special battery cleaning solutions, but this do-it-yourself method will also work:
- Put on gloves and goggles before starting work.
- Remove the jumper cables , starting with the negative (black) cable and then the positive (red) cable.
- Check the cables for damage such as fraying or insulation that has dried out, peeled off or cracked. If the cables are damaged, they must be replaced .
- Optional: Remove the battery from the vehicle and place it in a pallet or shallow container. Not only will this make cleaning easier, but it will also prevent corrosive material from getting onto other parts under the hood. (Some people prefer to clean the battery while it’s still in the car.)
- Use a hard toothbrush, wire brush, or scraper if necessary to remove as much of the hard and powdery corrosion as possible, rubbing it into the container as you go.
- Mix a paste of baking soda and warm water to neutralize battery acid. Coat the battery and the ends of the terminals that connect it to the cables with a clean rag, wiping off any remaining corrosion as you go. If the rag doesn’t cut it, use a toothbrush.
- When the corrosion is gone, soak a new clean cloth in warm water and wipe down the battery and its terminals to flush them out.
- Use a clean cloth (ideally microfiber) to dry the area, wiping away any residue.
- Put the clean battery back in the car (if you removed it).
- Apply a thin layer of Vaseline to clean battery terminals to prevent future corrosion.
- Connect the cables, this time starting with the positive (red) cable, then the negative (black) cable. Install caps on each terminal.
Once the battery is free of corrosion, set a reminder in your calendar to check it again in six months and clean it if needed. From there, keep looking for and de-corrosion the battery every six months .