ALT-1 How to Clean Battery Terminals
It's not as hard as it may look. With a few simple tools and products you might already have in your home, you canclean the battery terminalsin a few simple steps and help your battery fight back corrosion at the same time. Remove all that acid buildup preventing your starting and charging systems from operating properly and recover full battery power following a few easy steps at home.Tools you'll need:* Six-point wrench or line wrench* Battery post cleaning tool* Shop towelSupplies you'll need:* Warm water* Baking soda* Foam cup or small plastic container* Treated felt washers* Petroleum jellyCleaning battery terminals~Disconnect the battery cablesfrom the battery posts or side terminals, starting with the black cable that connects to the battery post or side terminal with the minus (-) sign. Then, disconnect the positive or red cable. Use a six-point wrench or line wrench to loosen the bolts on the cable terminals.~ Use a battery post cleaning tool to remove as much corrosion as possible from the posts and terminals. Clean the posts using the female end of the tool and the cable terminals with the male end of the tool.~ Next, mix about 8 ounces of warm water and a tablespoon of baking soda in a foam cup or small plastic container.~ Apply the solution with a cleaning brush to remove the corrosion remaining on the battery posts-or side terminals-and the cable terminals. Let the solution do its job for a couple of minutes.~ And then wash the cleaning brush and clean the battery posts and cable terminals using plenty of clean water.~ If you find dirt covering the battery top and sides, use the solution and brush to clean the battery case as well. But don't let the solution go under the battery caps.~ After a couple of minutes, wipe the battery case with a clean or damp shop towel.~ After cleaning the battery case, posts and cable terminals, install a treated felt washer on each post to help fight corrosion around the battery posts and terminals. You can buy these special washers at most auto parts stores.~ Now, reconnect your battery cables starting with the red or positive cable and then the ground or black cable. Then apply a layer or petroleum jelly around the cable terminals as an additional shield against corrosion.Corrosion around battery terminals acts as electrical resistance, preventing your starting and charging systems from working properly. Inspect your battery every two weeks-or every time you need to open the hood-andclean the terminalsat the first sign of corrosion. This way, you'll make sure the engine fires up and your charging system charges the battery without problems. Furthermore, your battery will last longer.
