Clean up a Corroded Battery

A battery can easily become corroded affecting its ability to do its job. Cleaning it up will only take five minutes and it’s a job that really doesn’t need the garage to help you to do it. All you have to do is to check out the items listed below and then follow our instructions.

MATERIALS REQUIRED • Dremel ® 8200 with Stainless

• Gloves • White vinegar • Small bowl • Cotton wool swabs • Boiling water

DIFFICULTY RATING

STEP 1

STEP 1 Put on your gloves. Alkaline battery corrosion can burn your skin, so it’s important to keep your hands covered. Then remove the battery from your car. Pour a small amount of white vinegar into your bowl. Dip your cotton swab into the vinegar and rub it along the corroded area. The vinegar will dissolve most of the corrosion. Repeat until the corrosion is gone. Or simply pour boiling water over the top of the battery and clean.

STEP 2 To get rid of the rest of the corrosion and really clean up the terminals in your car, use your Dremel 8200 with the Stainless Steel Brush Accessory. Use a maximum of 15,000 RPM.

STEP 2

STEP 3 Then, once again take your Dremel 8200 and Stainless Steel Brush and turn your attention to the terminals on the top of your car battery to improve the contact that they make with the leads in your car. Corroded terminals can often be the cause of cars not starting in the Winter rather than the need to replace the battery, so it’s wise to check the state of the terminals around the time of your annual service or at the beginning and end of the Winter.

STEP 4 Replace the battery in your car and connect up the leads to the battery using an ordinary spanner. Steel Brush 531