Clean Corrosion from Car Battery – Cause and Prevention

Corroded battery terminals are no fun at all. They will affect your battery’s overall performance and even force you to get a replacement. Hence, you need to deal with the issue as soon as it appears.

Cleaning battery corrosion is part of proper battery maintenance. Luckily, it’s not a complex process and will not require too many items.

Unfortunately, many car owners don’t know much about corrosion. Most will consider replacing the battery as soon as they start noticing issues with their vehicle. As much as that is an option, it might be that all you need is to clean the terminals and get rid of the corrosion.

In this guide, we will be discussing everything you need to know about battery corrosion. We will look at the causes, prevention, and cleaning methods. This should help you take a better

Car Battery Corrosion Causes

Sometimes the best way to find the solution is to know the cause. And in this case, knowing what causes it gives you a better chance to prevent it from happening and find a way to clean it. There are several things that can lead to battery corrosion.

Here is what you should know:

Acidic Reaction

Car batteries contain sulfuric acid, which creates the ionic differences needed in the production of electrical current. It’s through this reaction that your batter generates the energy needed to start your car’s engine and run other electronics.

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One of the products of the reaction is hydron gas. Sometimes these fumes go through the point where the battery terminal meets the cases. The gas reacts with other elements leading to the build up of corrosive material around the terminals.

The corrosion prevents the effective transmission of electrical current necessary for the effective performance of your car’s electrical systems. The more corrosion the battery gets, the higher the damage risk.

Poor Battery Condition

How long have you been using the battery? This is another crucial factor that affects the effectiveness of a car battery. If the battery is old and in poor condition, there is a high chance of damaging the battery.

Sulfation is a natural process that happens when the battery does not charge fully. It leads to the buildup of sulfur on the terminals, which eventually becomes corrosion.

If the corrosion is minimal, you can clean it off easily. But if it’s extreme, you need to have a mechanic look at it carefully and perhaps replace it. Note that a bad battery may have a more adverse effect on the vehicle’s performance.

Battery Mechanism

How much do you know about your car’s battery and how it operates? A battery is just a huge chemical reaction that creates several byproducts, among them the white, scaly deposits.

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What you call a battery is a collection of several individual cells arranged in series. Each housing features alternating plates of lead. Lead dioxide-coated lead is submerged in a sulfuric acid solution, in which the ions flow freely.

This combination leads to a chemical reaction that releases electrons, which carry the energy needed to start the motor. It powers the radio, keeps the lights on, and does other functions.

The seal around the battery terminals may allow sulfate to escape and react with lead in the post. It happens a lot, especially with cheaper batteries. This creates the white, flaky deposits that we call corrosion.

Corrosion interferes with battery connections and prevents the proper flow of electricity. You might end up stranded in an unknown location if you don’t take care of the problem fast.

Car Battery Corrosion Prevention

There are several ways to prevent or reduce the rate of battery corrosion. Consider the following:

Apply a Lubricant

Corrosion is caused by a reaction that comes up when the terminals and the connecting cable come in contact. Experts suggest that you can use simple household items around the house, like petroleum jelly. A small package of dielectric grease specifically designed for the application can be a good way to prevent such issues.

Replace the corroded cable connectors.

If you start noticing signs of heavy corrosion on the battery terminals, you need to replace them as soon as possible. In some cases, you can easily remove the corrosion without damaging the battery further. You can remove the old connectors and replace them with new ones if you want to enjoy more power from your battery. The replacement parts are not expensive, and you will find them easily from mechanic stores around your home.

Using Felt Washers

You may have wondered what those packages of felt washes at battery stores are all about. Well, these cheap items could be all you need to get the best out of your battery. You can use them with dielectric grease or petroleum jelly to reduce corrosion risk.

Using a metal protector

Something like the AMSOIL Heavy-Duty Metal Protector?could be a great investment for those who want to keep their batteries clean. It creates a protective layer on the terminals that keeps corrosion off.?

How to Clean Corrosion from Car Battery Cables

It’s good to pop the hood periodically to give the terminals a good cleaning. Whether you see the corrosion or not, it’s always good to clean terminals from time to time and ensure they are not adversely affected.

Whatever the case, here is how to clean the terminals:

Using a Cleaner

Remove the connection, starting with the black and then red. Spray the cleaner on the battery until the entire affected area is covered. Scrub the area until all the corrosion is cleared. Ensure you are wearing protective gear and clean the battery casing too. Reconnect the battery, starting with the red cable.

Using Baking Soda and Water

Disconnect the battery, starting with the black cable, and then apply baking soda to the whole affected area. Baking soda neutralizes the battery acid. Then use a small amount of water to activate the baking soda and start the reaction that removes the corrosion. Use a paper towel to clean and dry the area before reattaching the cables.

As you can see, cleaning car battery corrosion is not hard. You just need the right tools and some knowledge of how to use them. We hope this guide has been helpful, and now you can have clean terminals.