How to Clean Your Car’s Battery
Did you ever really have to jump start your car only to discover that the battery was mired in crud? That kind of gunk that goes all over the battery happens to be corrosion formed by acid condensation. You can easily clean this by using a simple chemical solution. Something as very basic as baking soda might easily clean the battery acid. You need to take some precautions, but safe cleaning of your battery is only following a few instructions.
Secure the Supplies
First thing you must do is to get the necessary supplies, which you may already have at home. The basic tools you need are a pair of safety glasses to cover your eyes, adjustable pliers and a screwdriver with insulated handles, a stiff bristled brush, and the key component, baking soda. Some open-end and box wrenches, a plastic or steel scraper, cleaning brushes for a battery terminal, and a turkey baster or small funnel. It is also necessary to have a bucket of water,rubber gloves, spray-on household cleaner and some sponges or clean cloths. All this will guarantee a safe cleaning of the battery.
As the corrosive deposits contain sulfuric acid, I suggest you use rubber gloves and the safety glasses. You should make certain that the deposits do not get on the car since it will damage the paint. Depending on the level of dirt and decay on the battery, the cleaning can vary, and some of the steps might not be necessary. To be able to totally eliminate the dirt and corrosion, you will need to take the battery out of the vehicle. For this primary cleaning, you work with the scraper and the bristle brush to remove as much of the dirt and corrosion as you can.
Basic Cleaning Process
The next thing to complete will be to mix one tablespoon of baking soda together with one pint of water then use it to clean the battery and the cable connections using the turkey baster. Work the solution of baking soda inside the heavily corroded areas with the brush, and disconnect the battery cables from the terminals for easier cleaning. Use the pliers or maybe assorted wrenches to loosen the hookup before pulling them off, starting with the negative first, and then the positive. For those terminals and additional parts, use the brush again to remove the corrosion and do a flush using the baking soda solution.
So now apply the liquid cleaner inside the spray bottle, and a sponge to get rid of the remaining dirt and grease. Following that, dry off all the pieces with a clean cloth and reassemble everything plus be sure that the cable is connected positive first. Make sure everything is secure and you finally have a clean, safe battery.