How to Clean the Corrosion Off Your Car Battery

One of the worst feelings in the world is to head out to your car in the morning and try to start it, only to find that the engine doesn’t jump to life.  

 

You might think that you need to have a new battery for your car or to spend a fortune at the auto repair store, but that is not always the case.  It could be something as simple as corrosion on the battery terminals that is making it difficult for you to start your car.  If this is the case, simply cleaning the corrosion from the battery can make a world of a difference.

 

Examine Before Cleaning

 

The first thing you need to do is open the hood and look at the battery.  Remove the black cable, and then the red cable to get a better look at the battery posts.  If they have gunk all over them, they are corroded and need a cleaning.  You can clean them in a couple of ways, but always make sure you wear gloves. 

 

The most common way is to use a wire brush and scrub the posts, as well as the cable connections.  You may want to use a battery cleaning solution from the auto supply store to help.


Coke isn’t Just to Drink

 

If you don’t have any of the correct solution, another option is to use a little bit of cola.  This can remove the corrosion, and is one of the most inexpensive options.  Make sure that you clean the cola off completely and dry the terminals before reattaching the battery cables to the posts.  Although it may disturb you that what you drink can clean your battery, it’ll still help get the job done.

 

If you find that your car still won’t start, then you might need to buy a new battery.  Batteries don’t cost too much and they are easy to replace.  As long as it isn’t the starter at fault, you should be up and running in no time.

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