How to Treat Battery Corrosion
If you have problems starting up your car or running your vehicle’s electrical system, you may have corroded battery terminals. Corrosion reduces the efficiency of your battery, and may end up shortening the lifespan of your entire vehicle. Treating battery terminal corrosion is an easy task that you can do at home, and include as part of routine auto maintenance.
Battery Corrosion
Acidic chemicals are found in most auto batteries. The chemicals interact with the metal plates found inside the battery case, and release electrons that produce electricity. A bit of corrosion is part of the natural lifespan of the battery, since some of the chemicals may leak out of the battery case, causing corrosion on the metal terminals. The corrosive material can cause problems with conductivity, and may shorten the lifespan of your battery. It’s important to clean out your battery terminals every now and then to get rid of the acidic corrosives and keep your battery running efficiently.
Tools
You do not need specialized cleaning tools or chemicals to clean out your battery terminals. You need to prepare the following tools that you can find in your home:
Stiff toothbrush
Toothpaste
Steel wool
Water
Cleaning solution made from liquid soap diluted with water
Gloves and safety goggles
Steps
To clean out corroded battery terminals, follow these steps:
Wear protective clothing. The corrosive particles that come into contact with exposed skin can cause irritation and other skin problems.
Remove the battery cables from the terminals.
Inspect the case of the battery to check for leaks, cracks, and fractures in the structure. If the leaks cause some of the battery acid to evaporate or to drain, replace the battery immediately.
Clean out the terminals with the cleaning solution.
Using steel wool and a toothbrush with a bit of toothpaste, slowly scrub out the corrosive particles on the terminals and cable heads. You want to remove as much of the caked-in green-and-white-colored stuff out of the terminals, and expose the metal.
Wipe the terminals dry, and allow the terminals to dry completely before re-attaching the terminal cables.
Corrosives on any part of your car can cause serious damage that can shorten the lifespan and reduce the efficiency of your vehicle. With these steps, you can clean out your corroded battery cables and prolong the working span of your car battery.