Cleaning Out My Car

In order for the battery in your car to work as well as it possibly can, it needs to have a strong connection to the car's engine. There are times when the terminals on a battery may need to be cleaned in order to ensure that the connection to the car's engine is as strong as it can be. If you look at the battery in your car and see a white, powdery film on the battery near the terminals where the connectors are located, your battery needs to be cleaned right away. Use the guide below to learn a quick and easy way to clean your battery.

Take Necessary Safety Precautions

You need to be sure that you are as safe as possible when cleaning the battery in your car to ensure that you do not become injured and that you do not do any damage to your car. Be sure that the engine is turned off when you go to clean the battery in your car. Wear a pair of goggles to protect your eyes from any possible splash back when you start cleaning and gloves to protect your skin from the oxidized areas that are now a white powdery mess.

Disconnect the Battery Terminal Cables

Next, you need to disconnect the cables that are connected to the top of the battery. Look closely at the case of the battery for a plus sign (+) and a negative sign (-) imprints. Use a screwdriver to loosen the screws that are holding the clamp in place on the terminal with the minus side first and remove the clamp. Then disconnect the clamp that is on the terminal marked with the plus sign.

Scrub the Terminals

Once the terminal cables are disconnected from the battery, use a wire scrub brush to scrub the terminals gently. You want to be able to scrub off the oxidized areas, but do not want to be so rough that you damage the terminals.

Clean the Terminals

Mix one quarter a cup of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water to make a paste. Rub the paste directly onto the terminals and allow it to sit until it is dry. Use the wire brush to brush the paste off of the terminals and then wipe it down with a slightly damp rag.

Reattach the Terminal Cables

Dry the terminals off thoroughly and then replace the terminal cables starting with the terminal marked with the plus sign and then with the terminal marked with the minus sign.

Your battery should now have a great connection to the engine and you should no longer have any issues with the battery. If you feel this is too tedious of a process for you to do on your own, you can always go to an auto center to have them take care of the cleaning for you.