How to Clean Battery Terminals?- In 5 Simple Steps

To get rid of corrosion on battery terminals, mix baking soda and distilled water, dip a brush in the mixture, and then brush away the blue-green foam carefully.

Even though corrosion is natural and normal for healthy batteries, you should clean your battery terminals every six months. Otherwise, too much buildup of the white, blue or green powdery substance could keep your car from starting.

Corrosion can either build up between the post and the terminal or it can wear away the terminal and cables until they’re too brittle to stay connected.

Too much corrosion can stifle a battery’s connection, making the alternator work harder to charge it and the battery work harder to start the engine.

Cleaning your battery terminals free of corrosion keeps that connection strong. You can also spray a corrosion preventative to keep your battery terminals clean much longer. While corrosion isn’t directly caused by battery acid, you still do not want to touch it.

What is Battery Corrosion?

Corrosion on your car’s battery can be incredibly easy to identify, which is probably why you’re here. Typically, the corrosion is white in appearance, one only could describe as “crusty.” It may turn a blue or greenish color when exposed to moisture.

The corrosion takes over the battery’s terminal and reduces the connection due to corrosion remaining a terrible conductor of electricity. The power is then thrown into a transient current flow, returning to the battery.

The corrosion can be caused by a variety of things due to hydrogen gas being released from the sulfuric acid inside the battery. As the gasses react to the atmosphere in the battery, it begins to produce a corrosive environment leading to battery fluid leakage.

When the likes of salt or moisture are thrown into the equation, the process of corrosion will pick up speed.

Some reasons for battery corrosion include:

• Overcharged – If the battery is overcharged, the fluid can expand and escape through overflow holes. Once this acid touches the terminal, corrosion begins. If this occurs, simply clean away the corrosion regularly to ensure reliability.
• Gas Escape – In every battery, there are tiny vents the hydrogen gas escapes through. If these gases come in contact with your battery’s terminals or car’s cables, corrosion can occur. This depends on the placement of the vents and how much gas escapes through them.
• Age – If your battery is older than five years, you should accept it’s probably on its way out. When batteries get old, corrosion is merely a side effect and not much can be done. Even if you clean it and it begins to work, you should probably have it replaced with a new battery as soon as possible.

How to Clean Car Battery Corrosion from Terminals?

By cleaning your battery terminals, you can actually help the car battery perform stronger, and longer!

We’ll show you how to clean the terminals and help prevent car battery corrosion in only FIVE steps – with materials you probably already have at home like Protective gloves, like dish gloves, Baking soda, Water, Old toothbrush, Rag, and Petroleum jelly.

#1. Mix Up Your Homemade Battery Cleaner.

The recipe is simple. Mix one tablespoon of baking soda into one cup of water, and stir it together until it’s thoroughly mixed.

#2. Undo the Cables from The Battery and Inspect It.

Make sure your engine is off. Pop opens your hood and removes the negative battery cable first. Then the positive cable is attached to your battery.

Some batteries may be in the trunk or under a seat. (Turn to your owner’s manual for more information.) Then, assess your battery.

Buildup, battery corrosion, and grime on the terminals can greatly impact your engine and battery performance.

#3. Dip A Toothbrush in Your Cleaner and Start Scrubbing!

Grab an old toothbrush, dip it in your baking soda cleaner, and start scrubbing the terminals. This will take a little bit of elbow grease and you’ll need to continuously clean off the toothbrush as you work.

Clean the terminals thoroughly, until all of the buildups have been removed. Do not put the toothbrush back in the bathroom!

#4. Rinse Off the Residue with Water and Dry.

After you’ve removed all of the corrosion and dirt from the terminals, give the battery a quick rinse. Fill up a spray bottle with a bit of water and spray down the terminals.

If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can also wipe everything down with a damp rag. Then, use another rag to dry the terminals completely.

#5. Rub Petroleum Jelly onto The Terminals and Reattach the Cables.

Once the terminals are dry, dab a bit of petroleum jelly onto them. This will lubricate them, help prevent further corrosion, and help strengthen the connection.

Reattach the positive and negative cables, and you’re all set! Be careful, too much petroleum jelly can cause a poor connection.

Related Article: How to Jump-Start a Car?

Battery Corrosion Cleaning Supplies

With these supplies, you’ll be well-equipped to clean corrosion from a car battery.

• Baking soda and hot water. Warm water mixed with baking soda will neutralize the corrosion so you can safely brush it away.
• A wire brush. Use this when cleaning the lead battery posts and the car’s clamps.
• A plastic brush. Nylon brushes for cleaning dishes would work well, but you could use a toothbrush, too. (Just throw it away afterward.)
• A towel or rag. You will need to dry the battery and terminals after clearing the corrosion.
• Gloves and eye protection. Plain sunglasses could work if you don’t have any protective eyewear.
• A well-ventilated space. Do it outside, in the open garage or with a fan blowing away from you.
• A memory saver for cars. If you’re cleaning a car battery and its clamps, you’ll need to disconnect it. Disconnecting without a memory saver can cause expensive electrical problems. (They’re available online for $9 to $20.)

Baking Soda Recipe for Cleaning Battery Terminals

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp baking soda
• ¼ cup warm water
• Put on safety wear to keep any particles from getting into your eyes or skin.
• Mix thoroughly until you get a toothpaste-like texture.
• Scoop the mix onto a wire brush.
• Slowly brush corrosion away from you.

How to Prevent Battery Terminal Corrosion

While corrosion is a normal occurrence, there are steps you can take to prevent or slow it.

Protect. After a thorough cleaning, coat your battery terminals with dielectric grease or battery terminal protector. Apply a healthy coat to prevent corrosion in the future.

Avoid under or overcharging. If you notice corrosion on your battery’s positive terminal, it’s a sign that your battery may be overcharging, which can be due to a faulty voltage regulator.

Corrosion that appears on the negative battery terminal is a symptom of undercharging. This can happen if you’re taking short drives and your electronic system is drawing a significant amount of battery power for onboard electronics.

In either case, it’s a good idea to bring your vehicle in on a regular basis to check for electrical faults.

Routine maintenance on all systems — including your car’s electricals — is important for the health and longevity of your vehicle. A trusted technician can help keep your car on the road for years to come.

FAQs.