Cleaning the corrosion off your battery terminals and cable connectors is an easy DIY job, but Accurate Auto warns that if your battery terminals are corroded, there may be something wrong with your vehicle’s battery. Keep an eye on your vehicle’s battery after you have cleaned the terminals to see if they corrode again quickly. If they do, your battery has reached the end of its life and you need to replace it with a new one. In the meantime, here’s how to clean your battery terminals.
Gather Your Supplies
To clean your battery terminals and cables, you’ll need
- Baking soda
- Distilled water
- Rubber gloves
- An old toothbrush
- A spray bottle
- A lint-free cloth
- Petroleum jelly
Once you’ve gathered these supplies, you’re ready to go.
Make the Cleaner
Take a clean container and mix 1 cup of distilled water with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Stir the solution until the distilled water runs clear. This is what you will used to clean the terminals and the cable connectors.
Disconnect the Cables
Put on your rubber gloves and disconnect the battery cables. Remove the negative cable from its terminal first. Then, remove the positive cable from its terminal. Do not disconnect the battery cables in any other order.
Clean the Terminals/Cables
Take the old toothbrush and get the bristles wet with cleaning solution. Scrub away the corrosion on the battery terminals. You may need to use a little elbow grease. Once the terminals are clean, scrub away the corrosion on the cable connectors.
Dry the Terminals/Cables
Once both are clean, pour distilled water into the spray bottle. Spritz the terminals and cable connectors to wash away all of the cleaning solution and corrosion. Then, take your lint-free cloth and dry the terminals and cable connectors thoroughly.
Protect the Terminals
If you need to, leave everything alone until the terminals and cable connectors are completely dry. Then, take a small amount of petroleum jelly and spread it on both battery terminals. This protects the terminals from getting corroded again.
Reconnect the Cables
Finally, reconnect the battery cables to the terminals. You’re going to do this in the opposite order. Attach the positive cable to its terminal first, and then attach the negative cable to its terminal.
Accurate Auto is the best auto service shop in Hillsboro, Oregon. We also have excellent shops in Lake Oswego and Beaverton. If your terminals corrode again quickly, stop by the shop closest to you for a new battery.