How to Clean Car Battery Terminals
Battery Terminal Corrosion
When you turn the ignition key to start your car and absolutely nothing happens, you’re first thought is always of a dead battery. Something has happened to drain it such as leaving a light on. But if you pop the hood you might find that the culprit is a greasy, dirty, or corroded battery terminal.
The problem arises more often if you don’t drive your car regularly. When the engine is not running and the battery is sitting, the terminals oxidize at a faster rate. This means you need to check the battery terminals more often for corrosion. Corrosion appears as a white, ashy deposit around one or both battery posts. Sometimes there is also a bit of color mixed in. These deposits are the result of one of several possible chemical exchanges involving vapors and the battery post.
How to Clean a Car Battery Terminal:
Supplies:
- A combination tool – battery post brush and battery clamp brush, obtainable at any auto parts store. These generally come in two designs, one employing wire brush elements and the other using two cutting blades and a reamer. Though old pros prefer the latter, either will work and either is suitable if you’re not cleaning battery posts on a daily basis.
- Locking pliers (vice grips).
- Toothbrush.
- Baking soda.
- Water.
- Clean, lint-free cloth.
- Wrench.
- Grease or petroleum jelly.
Directions:
- Remove the battery cables from the battery terminals by loosening the nut on each cable clamp. Once they are loose, always remove the cable clamp from the negative terminal first. It’s marked with a minus (-) sign; the positive terminal has a plus (+) sign. Reverse the procedure, positive first, negative second, when replacing the cables. The cable may not come off easily. You will have to wiggle it and lift it upward until the clamp comes off the terminal post. Sometimes, especially if there is a lot of corrosion, you may need the assistance of pair of locking pliers. Be careful not to short any tools you use against the car when they’re in contact with the battery.
- Examine the battery cables and clamps for excess wear or corrosion. Should damage appear extensive, replace the cables and clamps to avoid future problems.
- Check the battery case for cracks and the terminals for damage. If you find either, replace the battery.
- Secure the loose cables so that they don’t accidentally flop back onto the terminals.
- Pour some baking soda directly onto the posts.
- Dip a toothbrush in water and use it to scrub the baking soda into the terminal posts and cable clamps. Skin and eye protection is recommended.
- If the toothbrush isn’t doing the job, Use a battery terminal cleaner brush on it. Also shine up the insides of the cable clamps by using the clamp cleaner that usually comes attached to the terminal brush or use a plain, soap-free steel wool pad.
- Dry everything off with a clean, disposable, lint-free rag.
- Smear grease or petroleum jelly on the posts to slow down the formation of corrosive deposits. Cover all exposed metal surfaces on the battery posts, battery cables, and clamps.
- Replace the positive clamp first and then replace the negative clamp. Tighten them down with the proper sized wrench.
- Replace the rubber boot or plastic shield that covers the positive terminal. If you don’t have one, go and buy some from your local auto parts store.
Penny on Battery Post Prevents Corrosion?
We have heard of a trick of using pennies placed on top of the battery, one held in place with a drop of oil near each post. The copper supposedly draws corrosion off the battery terminals. We don’t know whether this works or not – if you know, please let your fellow readers know using the forum at the bottom of this page.
My mechanic told me this one. Take a can of Coke and poor a small amount on the corroded terminal. It will literally dissolve the corrosion. finish by making sure the connection to the terminal is tight.
Wear eye protection and rubber gloves. Remove the battery negative terminal clamp and then the positive terminal clamp. Apply a mixture of one once of baking soda and four ounces of water to the terminals and clamps. Let stand for 10 minutes. Rinse off and then brush the surfaces with a wire brush (available at any auto parts store). Use a small knife to clean those tight areas. Install battery post corrosion prevention disks (also available at all auto parts stores) or apply a small amount of silicone grease to all surfaces of the terminal and clamp. Reinstall the positive battery clamp first and then the negative. To avoid unexpected breakdowns, follow this procedure at least once every two years. Now you are good for another two years.
If your stuck somewhere and limited tools or cleaning products are available. Try plain old coffee it works quite well. Either dip and soak the cables in a cup of joe, or pour it directly on the terminals. A little water to wash the mess away, and your ready to roll.
If you car battery or any thing with rust on the car is dirty and hard to clean just dump some coke(soda) on to it. It will bring it right off. True stuff cops use it to get blood of sidewalks. Papsi does not do it has to be coke.
Remove the battery post from battery,on top post batteries take a foam cup, baking soda, and water. mix water and baking soda in cup and dip and let soak, dampen the posts with water and pour baking soda on posts. Let it work for five minutes and rinse with clean water, replace terminals on post when clean and tighten. Side post are done the same way except the corosion will get between the insulator (red or black rubber boot) and the terminal, little more time to clean.
Regarding the ‘penny on the battery’ idea, Copper does not corrode as easily as the lead does. This makes the idea of a penny kind of silly. Not to mention the fact that defacing US Currency is against the law. A better way to prevent the corrosion is much simpler than using a Petroleum based substance, Enamel Paint. Not a spray paint, but Modelers Enamel Paint. I prefer black and red, myself, and I clean the terminals and posts, however on most modern cars the posts are on the side and do not protrude from the battery. This brings up a new dilemma, that of protecting the side post type batteries and terminals from corrosion. For this there are more than one solution. The first involves the terminal ends that are supplied with the vehicle that cover the side posts of the batteries. I simply put a rubber washer with a hole in the center for the battery bolt to pass through, not thick rubber just a thin piece of rubber that will extend past the stock terminal ends. The purpose being to keep any and all moisture laden air from the lead posts. The other option is for those with the replacement terminal leads that are usually zinc coated steel or in some cases a lead mixture. For these I use the enamel to paint the terminals prior to assembly and then touch up when on the battery. It works very well. As for the cleaning, I find a small but stiff wire brush, that looks like a toothbrush, to be very useful, and I use only the steel, as the brass ones will not clean well. Chemical cleaners leave a residue that is not conducive for the adherence of the enamel. Well, thats all I have , be safe and well.
The really easy way to do it is to use a kettle of boiling water and slowly pour it over the terminals. Do it one at a time and make sure you dont get water shorting the two posts.
Yes it lazy, yes it easy and yes it works.
Use vaseline to cover terminals when you have finished. job done!
I use Baking Soda mixed with water in a Plastic Cup, a Heaping table spoon of Soda in 6-8oz of water, Important, remove Negative cable first then the Positive cable & dip them in the Baking Soda Water solution including a couple of inches of the cable, the cable wire gets corroded too, until the Bubbling stops. Then with another Fresh Baking Soda mixed with water wash the whole Battery with a brush, (the mixture won’t hurt the battery) & let it run down to the Metal battery holder that’s supporting the Battery, I had to change one once because it was so corroded. I’ve used regular Grease to coat the Terminals & Posts but found out that The Blue Marine Wheel Bearing Grease ( available at Pep Boys etc is Very Water resistant & Durable), works Much better,
If you do nothing at all at least take a Napkin & clean a Finger sized straight line between the two Posts to Break the Electric connection between the two Posts, The Dirt will connect the Negative & Positive Posts together & Cause a High Resistance Short & Slowly Drain your Battery.
Also a slow 3-5 Amp charger put on your Battery every 3-6 months or so for 12-24 hours will make your Battery last longer & if you’re a Do-It-Yourself & don’t want to be stuck with a Dead Battery, (these new Starters that take less Amps to turn over don’t give you the warning like the old ones & a car that started OK yesterday can be dead in the water today), after a few years buy a new Battery on sale & stick it in the Garage for that time that you don’t want to be late for work or when the Family’s in the car ready for Mom’s Thanksgiving Dinner & you have to unload the car, call your Brother to take you to one of those 24/7 Auto parts places that will charge you Top Dollar for a Battery that you wouldn’t normally buy..!!
Water in a spray bottle with jet adjustable spray. You may have one already. Simple as that. Does the job.
Since this is basically what I do for a living, I do have my take on this.
Always wear proper protective gear! I wear safety glasses and use nitrile gloves any time I work on a battery. Keep in mind that the acid will eat through clothes as well. Avoid all sparks and open flames when dealing with batteries as they produce hydrogen sulfide gas when they go bad and it is very explosive. You do NOT want a battery to explode on you.
If the terminal has a build up of acid on it, well the terminal and use a paper towel to remove as much of the acid as possible first. Pour baking soda on it, wet it down just enough for it to start bubbling. When it stops add a little more water. Continue until it quits reacting. (Note: Coke will clean the metal as it contains phosphoric acid but you want something other than an acid to counter and acid.
Loosen the cables. IF they are really tight, use a little WD-40. Remove the terminals, negative then positive, and use a battery terminal cleaner to clean the terminal and connector. IF it is a side terminal battery, you can use any wire brush to clean the outside. I prefer not to use the bladed cleaners as they are not that easy to use and if you remove too much off the terminal, the connector will not fit tight. Use WD-40 to clean any exterior dirt and grease off the connectors. Replace the cables in reverse order, tighten them and you should be good to go. I do not advocate the use of greases on the terminals as I have had several cases of cars not starting where all I had to do was clean the ‘anti-corrosive’ grease off them and they started.
Something to keep in mind, try to use a battery minder when doing this. Some vehicles when they lose the power will cause you problems. Alarms will go off thinking they are being tampered with. Some anti-theft radios will require you to put in a code before they are useable again. On some cars, the computer temporarily forgets who it is and you have to run the car basically with your foot on the gas for around 15 minutes before it resets itself. Some of the newer cars are even worse. There is a new high-end car (which will remain nameless) that if the computer is lost takes almost three days to reset. Good luck.
corroded terminals?
Grab a coke, diet or regular. Drink half.
pour the rest on the terminals slowly.
Like peroxide on a cut it fizzes all up and ‘voila’
corrosion all cleaned up. rinse with water. tell your freinds.
Go to the car parts store and buy a set of the little green and red felt washers. Lube them up with the glop that comes with them and install them around the posts under each clamp. Voila. No more corrosion, ever and no more need to clean.
Several of the posts mentioned disconnecting the negative cable before the positive. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. The reason for this is that if you try removing the positive cable first and your wrench comes in contact with the car and positive post at the same time you will have a direct short to ground that can cause burns, sparks and generally mess up you day.
After cleaning the battery terminals mix a quanity of soap powder in to cream with hot water, pour paste over terminals and as long as it is not washed off it will stop the corrosion.
Never had problems for 12 months.
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