Anti-Corrosion Battery Washers

Q: I just purchased a tool to clean the battery posts on my car. The tool also came with two felt washers – one red and one green to be placed under the battery terminals. Which post does the red washer go onto and which post does the green washer go to?

A: Put the red washer under the positive side and the green washer under the negative side. The colors are for reference if someone is jump-starting the vehicle. Black and green both mean “ground” or negative. These pads are chemically treated to reduce corrosion. The colors are only for visual reference, they don’t perform the function differently.