How to Remove Corrosion From Car Battery

If you’ve recently inspected your car’s battery and were alarmed to find some corrosion, Macke Motors, Inc. near Carroll is here to help. In the following guide from our service team, we’ll tell Lake City drivers how to identify car battery corrosion, what causes battery corrosion, how to clean it, and how to prevent it in the future. Corrosion isn’t a pretty sight, but the good news is that if properly cleaned and maintained moving forward, you’ll be able to bring about a fresh surface and spare the high cost of a new battery.

What Does Corrosion Look Like?

You might suspect battery corrosion before you actually see it if you’ve experienced weaker power, trouble starting your car, or low voltage codes displayed on the dash. If these corrosion symptoms crop up, you’ll know it’s time to do a visual check for corrosion. Here’s how: 

• When your vehicle is fully cool and hasn’t been used for at least 30 minutes, pop the hood so you can inspect the battery terminals and metal. 
• If the terminal is caked in white (or sometimes a combo of green/blue/teal), powdery material, you’re dealing with corrosion. 
• While you’re taking a look, you should also take note of any rust on the metal parts of your terminals and cables.

What Causes Car Battery Corrosion?

Time is the main cause of battery corrosion. Your battery is constantly heating and cooling as you travel through Fort Dodge, releasing hydrogen gases through ventilation. As these gases are continually let off over time, they mix with the surrounding material and create a substance at the connection point. As you may have guessed, that substance is the corrosion you see, and it occurs at the terminal because that’s where the electric connection is in the case of a car battery.

How to Clean Car Battery Corrosion

When looking at how to remove corrosion from a car battery, there are two main ways you can do so. You could use solutions bought from an auto parts store, which are made specifically for car batteries, or you could concoct a solution yourself using household products. Either way, be sure to put on gloves, goggles, and a respirator when handling the solution or creating your own to protect yourself, as well as while you’re working around battery acid, electric currents, and rust.

Use a professional battery cleaner

• You can acquire a battery cleaning solution or other electrical contact cleaning spray from an auto store. Spray liberally on the affected surface of the battery, then brush with a wire brush until all of the corrosion is removed.

DIY battery cleaning solution

• Remove the connectors from the terminal, then pour baking soda on the corrosion to neutralize the acids. Then, add some water to catalyze a reaction. Dry with a paper towel, then brush the affected area with a scrub sponge.

After removing the corrosion from your car’s battery terminals, you can prevent future corrosion with a rust inhibitor spray, a spray battery protector, or an anti-corrosion gel.

Schedule Service at Macke Motors, Inc.!

In addition to applying a special spray or gel to prevent corrosion, following a regular battery maintenance schedule will also help protect the overall condition of the terminal. If your vehicle requires an inspection, or you’d like to get professional help removing corrosion, you can schedule an appointment near Lake View. Contact us online or call us at (800) 262-6629 with any additional questions!