How to Clean & Prevent Corrosion on a Car Battery

There aren't many things more exasperating than a dead car battery. Many times a car battery will lose its charge due to corrosion on the battery post. The solution is to clean the terminal and do a bit of preventive maintenance. With a couple of common household ingredients you can have your battery cleaned and maintained in minutes.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Adjustable wrench
• Baking soda
• Old toothbrush
• Petroleum jelly
• Eye protection
• Gloves

1. Disconnect the battery cables by loosening the clamps with an adjustable wrench. Remove the positive (red) cable first, making sure the connections do not touch as you set them aside.

2. Mix 1 tbsp. of baking soda with 1 tbsp. of water to form a paste.

3. Spread a liberal amount of the baking soda paste onto each terminal post, using an old toothbrush. You will see the paste foam up as it reacts to the corrosion. Let this soak for five minutes.

4. Scrub the posts briskly with the toothbrush to remove any remaining corrosion. Rinse with a small amount of water and dry with a paper towel. Take care not to get the solution on your skin or clothing.

5. Apply a thick coating of petroleum jelly to each terminal post, using a paper towel and taking care to cover the entire post.

6. Reconnect the battery cables, connecting the negative (black) cable first and again taking care not to allow the cables to touch. Tighten the cables securely.

Tips & Warnings

• Check your battery for corrosion each time you refill your washer fluid. If you get battery corrosion on your skin, sprinkle it with baking soda to neutralize the acid.

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