How to Remove Corrosion From Car Battery

It’s not hard to remove corrosion from a car battery, but it does require you to be careful. If you think you may be dealing with car battery corrosion, follow the steps below to identify the issue, learn how to clean car battery corrosion, and prevent the issue from recurring! If you need help at any point along the way, give our service center a call at (877) 673-7122.

What Does Corrosion Look Like?

If your car won’t start, you might be tempted to call for a jump start immediately–but you should check the battery terminals first! Advanced corrosion looks like a collection of blue, teal, or white powder, caked on to the top of the battery.

If the corrosion is advanced enough to sever the connection between your terminals and your cables, you will probably be able to see it as soon as you open the hood. If you’re checking for corrosion after driving, wait at least 30 minutes before you open up the hood!

All car batteries wear themselves out eventually. If you can’t start the vehicle, but you don’t see any corrosion, it might be time for a new battery. 

How to Clean Car Battery Corrosion

When you’re getting ready to remove corrosion from a car battery, you need to be absolutely certain that you’ve taken all the necessary precautions:

• Remove all metal–including watches and jewelry–from your person. Put on electricity-safe gloves and goggles, too. A respirator is also a good idea, especially if you’re working in an enclosed space.

Then, carefully use a wrench to disconnect the negative battery terminal. After that, you’ll disconnect the positive terminal, too. Now that that’s done, here’s how to clean car battery corrosion:

Cleaning Car Battery Corrosion with a Professional Solution

• You can find a professional battery cleaning spray or solution at our Eatontown parts department. 
• Simply spray a small amount of the solution onto any affected areas, and use a wire brush to wipe away any residue. With the solution, the corrosion should come right off.

Cleaning Car Battery Corrosion with a DIY Solution

• A mixture of baking soda and water can be just as effective as a professional solution, in a pinch.
• Use your scrub brush to apply the solution onto any affected areas, then wipe away the corrosion.

What Causes Car Battery Corrosion?

You’ve gone to all this trouble, so how do you prevent car battery corrosion from recurring? Applying a small amount of petroleum jelly, anti-corrosion spray, or rust-inhibitor spray to the terminals can nip this issue in the bud. Keep that in mind next time you’re installing a new car battery.

Without these protections, car battery corrosion is perfectly normal. Your battery releases hydrogen gases as you drive around Rumson and Colts Neck, and when these gases contact the electricity surrounding the terminals, corrosion can form from their interaction. 

Schedule Service at Land Rover Monmouth!

Our service center is easy to reach from anywhere near Red Bank or Point Pleasant, and we offer a wide range of service specials to help make your visit as worthwhile as it can be. If you’re having battery trouble, let us take a look at the earliest opportunity.