What is the best way to clean the contacts of my car battery?
by 
Simply msFortunate
ANSWERS: 35
-
They have special products for this that come with a brush, your local auto store should have it.
-
If you occasionally spray the contacts and the top of the battery with WD-40, then wipe it off, it will help protect the terminals from the excessive buildup
-
Pepsi, cheap, abundant, and it works. Kind of scary that we put that in our bodies and it's the number one battery corosion cleaner here. LOL No, really...It works!
-
A good wire brush should work well all by itself.
-
Alot of good things posted here on how to clean a car batterys terminals, I would add that you make sure you wash your hands throughly with soap and water when you are through, might even be a good idea to wear rubber gloves and saftey glasses as battery acid is extreemly corrosive and can cause skin burns as well as eat holes in your clothes if it gets on them as well as severly burn your eyes if it gets in them. Just be careful.
-
a wire brush
-
Baking soda and water
-
They sale a battery terminal brush for this purpose. It usually comes in a kit with a red/green pad meant to go under the terminals. Wear some dishwashing gloves and take off the negative battery terminal then positive one. Use terminal brush to clean post/screw port and also clamp/screw depending on type of battery you have. You can also use a mixture of baking soda and water to make sure all of the corrosion is off. Brush it on with an old toothbrush. Now, brush around the terminals also. Wipe it all off with some paper towels. To keep them clean and corrosion free, use that old toothbrush dipped in vaseline. You don't need to gunk it on, just an even coating. Install positive battery cable/red one and then negative battery cable/black one. I did mine years ago and it is still corrosion free.
-
a good brass wire brush on the battery terminals where they conect with any wire connecters then use either petrolium jelly damp start or wd-40 for protection. if the corosion is bad then the battery is either leaking or battery top ups are spilling over. give the engine a wash down being careful of ecu help as any spilled acid gets washed away and stop the battery tray from rotting.
-
they make a kit with a spray and then a little brush thingy that you can get at auto zone or places like that. a fast way that can help you get up to the auto part store is to pour soda on the connectors.
-
WD40
-
I don't know why this hasn't been mentioned yet... 1) Disconnect the battery cables. 2) Mix baking soda and water in an old tupperware. 3) Using an old toothbrush dipped in the solution, scrub the mixture into the connectors and battery terminals. This will neutralize the battery acid (environmentally friendly) and get rid of the corrosion that's causing the problem. You don't need a kit, you don't need to buy anything, and it can be done at home.
-
can of soda in an emergency. or disconnect use steel wool to remove debris/residue then spray with wd40
-
just simply use a wire brush and give it a good scrubin.
-
half a can of coke on the terminals will eat away any corrosion. Just make sure you rinse it off with water once its gone so you dont get a bug issue
-
Use a wire brush. Auto supply store have ones made for cleaning battery posts. Also, use a mixture of baking soda and water to clean up any acid or corrosion. If you than put grease on the terminals, you will have less corrosion in the future.
-
The best way to clean battery cable end: 1)After putting on a pair of potective gloves and eyeware, remove the cables from the battery. Red or postive cable first. 2)With an old knife clean the contact area of the cable end of all corrsion.(Be careful not to get corrsion on painted surface) 3)Spray the cable ends and battery with a cleaning spray(available at parts house) or use a baking soda, water mixture. After allowing to sit for a minute or two scrub with a wire brush or an old toothbrush. 4)Rinse with warm water 5)Reconnect the cables, red or positive first. Lighty spray with battery anticorrosion spray(parts house) or with wd-40. Dispose of gloves and brush in a plastic bag so as not to danger or contaminate anything or anyone with corrosive material.
-
baking soda and water, then some terminal sealant.
-
Sounds crazy I know but Coke. Just pour it on them and it will eat it all off. My husband is a mechanic and thats what they do at his shop.
-
Use baking soda and then use a lemon, after 3 minutes get a metal brush (dollar store) remember to use gloves and safety glasses, start brushing and at the same time use more lemon you will see how it will shine and make perfect connections./ better a friend guy help you because need to remove screw for better results
-
a wire brush and for routine maintenace try baking soda with some coke and the n rinse with water
-
well hot water dose it for me
-
Use baking soda and water with a brush to clean the best way. Goodluck!
-
Use a small wire brush in a Dremel tool, works best. Then rinse off with water.
-
Coca-Cola...seriously.
-
wire brush or they make this red stuff in a spray can it works awesome
-
Electrical contact cleaner just spray it on and let it dry then put battery terminal protecter on it you can buy it for $.93 at any auto parts store.
-
This might be a stuid question, but I have 2 ask? I have to unplugg the cables before I pour the Coke, right?
-
backing soda then spray themwith paint and they will not corodd
-
coke
-
The quick way is to pour a can of soft drink over it. That will get you through temporarily. To do a better job, loosen the bolt, remove the battery cables and clean both the cable end and the battery terminal with this http://www.autozone.com/Ntt,battery%20terminal%20cleaner/shopping/allResults.htm;jsessionid=B75B2C5982E37F7C8080A1BE8E1717E2 This wire brush type cleaner has a brush in one end that fits over the terminal and cleans it with a few twists of the wrist. The other end twists off to reveal another brush that fits inside the cable end. When both parts are clean for both positive and negative ends of the battery, reconnect the cables to the terminals. Make sure you use the right size wrench to loosen and tighten the cables, as they are fairly easy to strip. Don't do it with a pair of pliers.
-
Coca cola is great but you might also want to disconnect the battery and use a wire brush
-
Contact lense solution, of course
-
Just mix up some baking soda and water and pour it on the contacts. Wait a few minutes then wipe them off.
-
If you go to the auto part store and ask them, they will give you a wire brush.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC