Deposits on the terminals of accumulators and batteries can cause current leakage and shorten the service life. If you keep the terminals clean, you can last longer with your battery or battery and you can save money. Read on to learn how to do that.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Cleaning car batteries
Step 1. Access your battery
You don't have to remove your battery to clean the battery. All you have to do is open the hood and find the battery. View the general condition of your battery. If the housing shows cracks, you have to replace the entire battery. If the battery looks good at first glance, you can continue with the following steps.
Step 2. Check for corrosion
Remove the plastic or rubber caps from the battery terminals. Now you can see the places where the clamps are attached to the poles. Check for corrosion on the battery cables and terminals. Corrosion is white and has the consistency of ash, often found at one or both poles. If the terminals or terminals are damaged, the cables and terminals may need to be replaced to avoid problems. But if the cables and clamps look good, with just some dirt, you can follow the cleaning instructions below.
Step 3. Disconnect the car battery
Before you start, the battery must be disconnected. To do this you need to loosen the bolts on the clamps with a wrench. When the bolts are loosened, first remove the negative clamp, marked with a "-". The order is very important. Only after the negative terminal has been removed may the positive terminal be removed. That is the terminal marked with a "+".
The clamps may be difficult to remove, especially if there is a lot of corrosion present. You may need pliers to remove the clamps. If you use a tool made of metal, you have to be careful not to hit the car and the battery at the same time with the metal. This causes a short circuit
Step 4. Make the cleaning solution
Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with one tablespoon of water. Stir well to make a paste.
Step 5. Apply the paste to the poles
Be careful, baking soda is normally safe to use, but you must be careful not to spill it on other components of the car or on yourself. When the baking soda is applied it will bubble and foam as it reacts with the corrosion.
How you apply the paste is up to you. You can apply it with a toothbrush, a damp cloth or with your hand if you are wearing gloves
Step 6. Scrape off the tarnish
If there is deposits on the poles, you may need to scrape it off. An old butter knife is very suitable for this. After you have removed most of the deposits, you can remove the remaining deposits with a wire brush or steel wool.
- There are special brushes on the market with which you can clean battery terminals, but these are not necessary. You can just use a wire brush.
- It is best to wear dishwashing gloves when cleaning the poles, especially if you are using steel wool, as you can come into direct contact with lye salt.
Step 7. Clean
When the foaming stops and there is no more deposit on the poles, you can clean the poles. You do this by simply pouring some water over the poles. Be careful not to get the baking soda paste into the battery, as the baking soda can neutralize the battery acid and shorten its life.
Step 8. Dry
Wipe the terminals dry with a dry clean cloth.
Step 9. Prevent corrosion
Put some petroleum jelly or grease on the poles to prevent new corrosion.
Step 10. Retighten the clamps
Connect the positive terminal to the battery first and then the negative. Tighten it well with a wrench. When the clamps are tight, you can put the rubber or plastic caps back on the poles.
Step 11. Done
Method 2 of 2: Cleaning batteries
Step 1. Access the batteries
How you do that depends on the device they are in. In general you will have to remove a cover to find the battery housing. Remove the old batteries. Look for cracks or leaks. A leak probably means potassium hydroxide, a strong base. If you see leaks, be careful, protect your hands and eyes, as potassium hydroxide is bad for your health.
You should never attempt to clean spills with the methods below. The method below is intended to remove corrosion from the battery terminals, not a leaking battery
Step 2. Watch the corrosion
Check whether there is corrosion in the empty battery housing and on the batteries. Mild corrosion looks like black spots, severe corrosion looks like a whitish ash-like deposit at the poles. If you see corrosion, you can follow the steps below to clean it.
Step 3. Clean with water
Use a damp soft cloth or cotton swab to remove corrosion deposits. Wear dishwashing gloves when removing corrosion.
- In some cases, the battery housing can be completely removed from the device. In this case, you can soak the entire battery case in water or in a solution of baking soda and water. But in most cases you will have to work with a cotton swab while the battery housing is still in the device.
- Be careful that the white deposit does not come into contact with your skin, because it is poisonous.
- Be careful that the device does not get wet during cleaning.
Step 4. Make the cleaning solution
Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with one tablespoon of water. Stir well to make a paste. Apply the paste to the battery terminals with a cotton swab or piece of cloth. When the paste is applied it will foam and bubble as it reacts with the corrosion.
Be careful, baking soda is normally safe to use, but you have to be careful not to spill it on other components or on yourself
Step 5. Clean
When the foaming stops and there is no more deposit on the poles, you can clean the poles. You do this with a cotton swab that you first dip in some water. Be careful not to spill water on other electronic components.
Step 6. Dry
Wipe the terminals with a dry clean cloth
Step 7. Prevent corrosion
Put some petroleum jelly or grease on the poles to prevent new corrosion.
Step 8. Put everything back
Place new batteries in the clean battery housing and close the lid.
Step 9. Done
Warnings
- Be careful when using water near electronic components. If you can't clean the terminals without wetting the components, don't do it. Take the device to a repairer.
- Car batteries can be dangerous. Hydrogen gas can be released when charging or discharging cars, which can cause batteries to explode. Keep fire or sparks away from a battery.
- Corrosion around poles can cause burns. So be careful, protect your eyes and hands.