clean battery post
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 827
Likes: 0
From: Seattle
A wire brush, a nylon brush, something like that. It's just lead sulfate, nothing toxic - unless you eat it 
Always a good idea to wash the top of the battery off with a water and baking soda mixture. Just toss some baking soda in a bowl of water and mix it up with your finger. Then dampen a paper towel with it and use the towel to wash the top. Just don't touch both terminals at once
Always a good idea to wash the top of the battery off with a water and baking soda mixture. Just toss some baking soda in a bowl of water and mix it up with your finger. Then dampen a paper towel with it and use the towel to wash the top. Just don't touch both terminals at once
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
From: Northeast Wisconsin
You can touch both terminals at once without a problem. It's only 12 volts. You won't feel a thing, even if your hands are wet!
Mix a tablespoon of backing soda in an 8 ounce glass of warm water. Remove the battery from the car, then dribble the solution over the top of the battery around the terminals. When all the fizzing has stopped, rinse the battery top with clear water and dry with a paper towel. Clean the posts with a battery post cleaner, available at any automotive parts supply house for about $1.00. Use the wire brush that's part of the post cleaner tool to clean out the female terminal ends on the connecting cables in the motor compartment. You want a good, clean mating surface of both the post AND the connector when you tighten the connector. A poor connection will not only starve your starter of current when you fire up the engine, it also prevents the alternator from being able keep the battery fully charged.
Mix a tablespoon of backing soda in an 8 ounce glass of warm water. Remove the battery from the car, then dribble the solution over the top of the battery around the terminals. When all the fizzing has stopped, rinse the battery top with clear water and dry with a paper towel. Clean the posts with a battery post cleaner, available at any automotive parts supply house for about $1.00. Use the wire brush that's part of the post cleaner tool to clean out the female terminal ends on the connecting cables in the motor compartment. You want a good, clean mating surface of both the post AND the connector when you tighten the connector. A poor connection will not only starve your starter of current when you fire up the engine, it also prevents the alternator from being able keep the battery fully charged.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
DO NOT let the baking soda solution get into the battery caps tho. It will deactivate or weaken the cell. Do spray down the sheetmetal under the battery with the bakingsoda and rinse well.
YOu might use a No-Corrosion donut or some spray after wards.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
YOu might use a No-Corrosion donut or some spray after wards.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Elder User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 966
Likes: 1
From: Too far north of I-10
I prefer the Coke and wire brush method. After that, spray some of that blue crap on the terminals to prevent corrosion. Coke works on everything, even takes hydraulic fluid, jet fuel, and other mechanical crud out of clothes. Pour a Coke out in your washing machine when you do laundry and all the nasties come out.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,175
Likes: 0
From: charlotte nc
Baking soda solution works. I also like to remove the cable connectors and "scuff" the inside with some sand paper and same with the terminal, Then apply a coat of electric grease and secure them tight. Some people like to coat the whole connection is heavy grease. We did it to schools buses because we didnt have time to keep re-fixing a poor connection.
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CO River Rat
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,209
Likes: 0
From: Lake Havasu City AZ
Make sure you wear safety glasses when you're wire-brushing that battery!
After you get 'er clean, install a pair of those red/green chemical felt washers before putting the clamps back on; they'll help keep the crud from reappearing.
Steve
After you get 'er clean, install a pair of those red/green chemical felt washers before putting the clamps back on; they'll help keep the crud from reappearing.
Steve
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
If you drive older vehicles (and/or associate with those who do), and may sometimes encounter (or harbor) a battery of less than impeccable hygeine, one of those $1 (maybe $2.00) post cleaners traderjoe28 mentioned above can be a real handy thing to keep in the glove compartment - little wirebrush christmas tree to clean inside clamps and a wire-lined hole to shine up the posts in a hurry can sometimes make the difference between click-click-click and rrr-rrr-vroom!
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76supercab2
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Apr 20, 2004 11:50 AM
