Corrosion is the enemy of car batteries. It can make the most high-end cars fail to start. Battery terminals are especially prone to corrosion because of the presence of water and acid in their surroundings. If your battery terminals are corroded, you can use different terminal cleaners to lessen the corrosion and restore your battery’s connections.
Usually, corrosion happens when you do not drive your car regularly. Battery terminal posts and clamps oxidize faster when the engine is not running. When your car battery is idle, it will eventually develop white deposits around its terminal posts. These deposits are the product of chemical reactions that involve the battery and the vapors under your hood. If you do not remove the corrosion, the battery will eventually cease to operate.
You can use a battery terminal brush to clean your car’s terminal posts and clamps. A terminal brush has two ends: male and female. The female end is the recessed part, while the male end is the protruding part. To remove the deposits from the terminal posts, place the female end of the brush over each post and rotate it. The brush’s wires will scrape away the dirt from the posts. Meanwhile, insert the male end of the brush in the terminal clamps to remove the dirt that is blocking the connection.
If the terminals are not that badly corroded, you can simply use a toothbrush, water and baking soda to clean them. Dip the toothbrush into the water and use it to scrub the baking soda on the deposits. Remember to wear appropriate eye and skin protection while doing this. Finally, apply some petroleum jelly or grease on the posts and clamps to prevent further buildup of deposits.
There are also cleaners that can be sprayed on corroded terminals. These cleaners can dissolve acid deposits on batteries. Some form foams that penetrate the seams of the battery. Others can even detect acid leaks by changing their color when sprayed. If you are going to use this type of cleaner, read the instructions first because some formulas cannot be used with terminal brushes.
Some terminal clamps and posts become so corroded that they cannot be restored. If your battery terminals have too much deposit buildup, replace them with new ones.