Ever made an effort to jump-start your car battery and was surprised that it was covered in gunk? If perhaps you were wondering what the glop was, it was battery decay, formed by acid condensation. Luckily, to clear out the acid build-up, you just need to utilize a basic chemical solution. A typical household product, which is baking soda, can clean battery acid very easily. Cleaning your battery isn’t really very difficult to carry out but you should take necessary precautions.

Baking Soda Solution

You have got to first obtain the supplies you need, most of which can be found in your home. You basically need safety glasses covering your eyes, baking soda, adjustable pliers and screwdrivers with insulated handles, and a stiff-bristled brush. Additionally, you will need open-end and box wrenches, some sort of scraper either metal or plastic, cleaning brushes for the battery terminal and a turkey baster or small funnel. You should also have some sponges, spray-type household cleaner, rubber gloves along with a bucket of clean water. This can seem like numerous things for cleaning a battery, but we did say doing it safely.

Because the corroding deposits contain sulfuric acid, it is advisable to use rubber gloves and safety glasses. You should also make sure that the deposits avoid getting on the car since it will damage the paint. Determined by how corroded the battery might be, the amount of cleaning that is needed will vary. To be able to fully get rid of the dirt and corrosion, you will need to take the battery out of the vehicle. First, take the plastic or metal scraper to get off whatever dirt you are able to, and also use the bristle brush.

Cleaning Steps

The next step usually is to combine one tablespoon of baking soda with a pint of water and apply the solution to the battery and the cable connection using the funnel or turkey baster. Work the formula of baking soda directly into the heavily corroded places with the brush, and disconnect the battery cables from the terminals for easier cleaning. You can remove the cables, starting with negative first then positive, using the pliers and wrenches. Brush aside every last bit of oxidation from the terminals and all of the parts, and then flush each one with the baking soda solution.

Now use the liquid cleaner inside the spray bottle, and a sponge to get rid of the remaining dirt and grease. Immediately after, dry all of the parts and reassemble everything and be sure you reconnect the cable with positive first. Make sure things are all secure and you now have a clean, safe battery.