Battery Corrosion

Q: My battery cables are corroded. How do I clean them and what can I do to make sure the corrosion doesn’t come back?

A: Be sure to wear safety goggles, a dust mask, and rubber gloves. You do not want to get the corrosive dust or sulfuric acid in your eyes, in your lungs, or on your skin. First, clean cables with a mixture of baking soda and water. You only need about one tablespoon of baking soda per pint of water. A small wire brush works well to scrub the cable ends. After cleaning, rinse the terminals off well with water. If you need to remove the cables to get at all the corrosion, remove the negative cable first and then the positive. When reattaching the cables, install the positive cable first and then the negative. Use an anti-corrosive spray over the cable ends to minimize the likelihood of the corrosion coming back.