ALT-2 How to Clean Battery Terminals
If you see a crusty buildup on your battery terminals, it’s time to give them a thorough cleaning. Cleaning your battery terminals isn’t complicated and can be completed in a minimal amount of time.
Tools and Supplies
Before beginning the task of cleaning your car’s battery terminals, you need a few tools and supplies.
- Approximately one tablespoon of baking soda
- Cup of lukewarm water
- Clean plastic container
- Rubber gloves
- Old toothbrush (or terminal cleaner available at auto parts stores)
- Battery terminal grease (petroleum jelly will work as a substitute)
- Clean rag and an old rag
- Wrenches – You need the correct size to remove the cable fittings and one if your battery has a lock-down case.
Before beginning any repair or maintenance on a vehicle you should take some safety precautions. Always remove your jewelry and if you have long hair, tie it back out of your way. When dealing with batteries, extra precautions should be exercised. When loosening the positive terminal, do not let the wrench touch other parts of the vehicle. Do not wear rings as electricity can flow through your jewelry to the wrench and to the battery.
Step 1
Mix together the baking soda and water in the container. Wear the plastic gloves to protect your hands from the buildup on the battery terminals.
Step 2
If your battery has a lock-down case, use the appropriate sized wrench to loosen the bolts. This is done so that you can later remove the battery to clean the tray where the battery sits. This step is recommended but is also optional. If your battery is completely encased, you will need to remove the case to get to the battery terminals.
Step 3
Using the correct sized wrench, loosen the nut that holds the negative cable on the battery post. Remove the negative cable from the battery post, gently moving it side to side until it comes free. Repeat this step for the positive cable.
Step 4
Remove the battery from the vehicle and wipe down the battery tray where the battery sits with an old rag.
Step 5
Dip the toothbrush into the baking soda/water mixture and scrub both of the battery posts. Also use the solution and toothbrush to clean the ends of the battery cables if needed. If the ends of the battery cables (the clamps) are rusting and cracking, you should seriously consider replacing the clamps.
Step 6
This may be one of the most important steps – allow everything to dry fully. Now would be the perfect time to take a look underneath the hood to see if anything else looks amiss or needs some maintaining. To be safe, let everything sit for about an hour.
Step 7
Using the battery terminal grease (or petroleum jelly), dab a small amount on the battery posts and cable ends (terminal clamps).
Step 8
Reconnect the positive cable and secure with the nuts. Repeat with the negative cable.
Step 9
Wipe down the top of the battery with the clean rag to remove any residue.
Step 10
Replace the lock-down case.
Acid buildup on your battery terminals can interfere with the electricity flow going to and from your battery. This interference can hinder how your vehicle starts. During routine maintenance of your vehicle, check the terminals to prevent buildup from accumulating.
