So I have this erosion acid junk on my car battery...?

Question

I have a bunch of mechanic friends and ones telling me coke (the drink), another is saying water and dish soap with gloves and a steel brush, and another says baking soda and water... Help! How do I get this junk off?

Answer 1

There may be a problem. A leak in the case at the post. Or maybe the charging voltage is too high, and boiling electrolyte (battery acid) out. You have electrolyte on the top of your battery.



Baking soda is ok for cleaning the terminal on the end of the cable (removed from the battery), but you don't want it on the battery. If it gets inside a cell it will make a problem.



Also, a wet battery top conducts electricity, and may make an unwanted load on the battery when the battery energy is reduced in cold weather.



I would wash the battery off with plain water. Best is if you take the battery out of the car, for the first cleaning, because you'll rinse acid all over the area of the battery (car body, sheet metal).



Put some (about 1/2 inch) baking soda in a cup and cover with water. It needs to be liquidy, not pasty. Stick the terminal into the cup and stir it around. You'll see it bubbling/fizzing. If it stops reacting, dump the old stuff and put more and fresh water. Keep doing this until it stops reacting, and let it sit there for 5 minutes. Then rinse the terminal with fresh water until all the baking soda is off the terminal.



Put some fresh baking soda and water on the battery tray for a few minutes. Then rinse it off. Reinstall the battery. I put those red/green felt washers on the posts. They seem to help a little bit. The red one on the positive (+) post. Make sure you have a battery hold-down clamp and it's in solid condition. A loose battery can make trouble.



After everything is clean, keep an eye on the battery top. If it gets wet with electrolyte quickly, something is wrong. Rinse it off with a hose regularly.



Some people put vaseline or grease or dielectric grease on the post and terminal. I'm not sure if it helps or not.



It's corrosion or oxidation. Erosion is something else. Don't pour cola on it. That's sugar and doesn't need to be there. If your thin battery terminal seems weak, get a new one. After your style clamps corrode for a while, they crack. Then the terminal is loose. Either the car won't start, or it will make sparks (arc) and can cause the battery to explode.



Your battery looks like an Interstate brand. You can call their customer service and ask them what they recommend to clean the battery, or keep it clean. They used to have a little book that explained about battery use and care, but they may not have it any more.



1-888-772-3600



https://m.interstatebatteries.com/static/customer_service

Answer 2

Listen to the friend that said to use baking soda and water. Baking soda will neutralize the acid corrosion build up on the terminal. Remove and clean the battery terminals and battery post as well. After you get it cleaned up and rinsed off be sure to check the water in that battery, I bet it's low. Add distilled water if it needs it, don't use anything from the tap with chlorine in it. (Bottled water will work too but distilled water is preferable.)

Answer 3

A little soap and water with a brush to wash, then plain water rinse. After cleaning, coat terminals with grease to prevent corrosion and ensure contact. Baking soda will dramatically neutralize acid, it is true, but it will cause corrosion on the other side of the pH spectrum with its sodium deposited where you don't want it, perhaps even getting into the battery damaging plates and electrolyte.

Answer 4

Either will work for what you are trying to do. Coke, if you don't rinse it well will get sticky and attract grime later. Use baking soda and water as a paste, but make sure you leave the cell caps on, you don't want to get any inside the battery cells. This corrosion is only a problem with top post batteries and you can buy felt corrosion inhibitors to go under the terminals.

Answer 5

Good idea: wear protective goggles/face shield and rubber gloves.



Use baking soda mixed with water. (Spray cleaner from a parts store is OK, but not necessarily better.) Gently scrap off the residue (so as to not get it on you or the car). Gently apply the baking soda mixture with a brush. Let it soak for a few minutes. Then, using a soft brush and fresh water (don't blast it with a garden hose at full pressure, wipe off the residue.



You can then get battery post protective spray from a parts store, if you wish.

Answer 6

The baking soda solution is the best way. Baking soda is an alkaline with will neutralise the acidic formations. Use is sparingly and finish off with fine wire wool. You could use Vaseline to stop it recurring, but I prefer a squirt of WD40 as this doesn't attract dirt and muck.

Answer 7

I use sodium biphosphate? I think that's what it's called. If not they sell a special liquid and steel brush for your battery terminals. I don't think dish soap works. You have corrosion the baking soda works.

Answer 8

Yes, baking soda / bicarbonate of soda solution is what you want to use because it is alkaline and will neutralise the acid corrosion. Also, check you haven't got acid corrosion under the battery.

Answer 9

many ways have already been suggested by our expert friends which are effective against the corrosion thereafter you need to apply white lithium grease which is easily available at local mechanics or store. A layer of grease between the conducting surfaces and the surrounding air and moisture will protect terminal.

Answer 10

Baking soda and water works best.

Answer 11

I use baking soda and water



Edit: I coat the terminal with Vaseline after to prevent it.

Answer 12

Why not try all of them and if it doesn't work then come back and ask a bunch of strangers here, we are all internet experts.

Answer 13

Simple boil the kettle and pour on it will dissolve!