Tips to Clean your Car Battery Corrosion
Have you observed a whitish, ashy residue on the terminals of your battery? Then it's time to clean the corrosion on your car's battery. The battery terminals can deteriorate over time, especially in vehicles that aren't used much. This indicates your automobile isn't connecting properly to the battery, which means you may have difficulties starting it and the battery may not be fully charged when driving. So you need to clean it, but how do you do it?
Follow these simple instructions:
- To begin, make sure your automobile is turned off for your own safety. It's advisable to turn off the battery because you'll be touching it.
- Remove the terminals from the battery. To take them out, you'll need a wrench. The negative terminal should be removed first, followed by the positive terminal.
- Examine your battery for any signs of wear and tear. While you're in there, check to see if your battery has any bulging, cracking, or warping. These are symptoms that your battery may need to be replaced.
- On the terminals and inside the cable clamps, you'll notice a white substance. This is the stuff that needs to be gotten rid of. A toothbrush, water, baking soda, steel wool, a cloth or towel for drying, and petroleum jelly are all items you'll need now.
- In a lid or small dish, combine a tiny quantity of water with some of the baking soda. After that, apply the paste to the terminals and clamps with the toothbrush. Scrub vigorously until the white stuff is no longer visible. Steel wool can be used to help eliminate the corrosion if necessary. In order to secure the greatest possible battery connection, pay special attention to the insides of the clamps.
- Dry everything off with a towel or cloth.
- Add some petroleum jelly to the terminals and the clamps. This will help prevent future corrosion.
- Reconnect the battery, connecting the positive terminal first, then the negative one.
If the corrosion is really tough, you may want to let the paste of baking soda and water sit for a few minutes to work on dissolving the corrosion.
Some also report using coca cola instead of baking soda as a cleaning liquid. Basically, the carbonated water is what does the trick, which is similar to baking soda in water. The good news is that both items are commonly found in your kitchen or pantry, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding one of the two to clean your battery corrosion.
In order to ensure a great battery life and optimal driving, you should check your battery regularly for corrosion and any other damage. Most batteries have a life of about 2.5 to 5 years. However, this depends on the use and whether or not your car is exposed to extreme temperatures as well as a number of other factors.
Now, grab your materials and go clean your car battery! You’ll notice a more robust start and improved battery charging.
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