How To Clean Battery Terminals In Car?

The question of how to clean battery terminals is a real problem for every car owner out there. While we make a lot of effort to keep the car’s exterior clean and shining, people often tend to undermine everything under the hood.

However, that should not be the case, as clean battery terminals are a must to keep your car running. This can go a long way in enhancing the life of your car batteries and preventing corrosion and other relevant issues.

This raises the question of how to clean car battery terminals. If you also have this doubt, then you are at the right place. Here, we will learn all that you need to know about cleaning car battery terminals properly and effectively.

Also Read: What Car Battery Do I Need for My Car?

But First, Let’s Understand the Cause Behind Corrosion in Car Battery Terminals

There are many different factors that can contribute to corrosion in your car battery. However, one of the most common is the chemical reaction in the metal terminals. This happens when the acid from the battery comes in contact with the metal terminal, resulting in corrosion.

Leaving this uncleaned for a long time can result in corrosion, which often looks like a flaky layer on the terminals. This layer is mostly visible in colours such as white, brown, or even green, indicating a discolouration of the terminals. This makes it important to clean battery terminal corrosion to keep the component in the right condition.

Basic Essentials for Cleaning Car Battery Terminals

Unlike conventional perception, cleaning car battery terminals is much easier than you might have imagined. All you need is a couple of very simple things that you can easily find lying around in your home. Some of the best-known of these essentials include:

1. An old brush
2. Baking soda
3. Protective gloves
4. Water
5. Petroleum jelly
6. A piece of rag

Once you have these basic essentials in place, you can easily get started with the best way to clean battery terminals in car.

Important Steps On How To Clean Battery Terminals

When it comes to the question of how to clean car battery corrosion, all you need to do is follow a couple of very simple steps. So, once you have all the right essentials in place, you can get started with the cleaning process by following the steps below:

Step 1: Disconnect the Battery

Many people think about cleaning battery terminals without disconnecting car. However, that is never a good idea, as the consequences can be devastating if things were to go wrong.
This makes it very important to start the cleaning process by disconnecting the battery terminals. You must start by disconnecting the negative cable followed by the positive cable to prevent electric shock.

Identifying these cables is as easy as they get since you can find very visible signs right on the top of the terminals. The positive cable must have the (+) sign or “POS” abbreviation in red colour. On the other hand, the negative terminal must have the sign (-) or the abbreviation “POS,” and the terminal’s colour is generally black.

Step 2: Use Baking Soda to Neutralise the Sulphuric Acid for Cleaning the Battery Terminals

Once you have disconnected the battery terminals, it is time to start the cleaning process with some baking soda. You can start the process by taking a glass of water and mixing some baking soda into it. Make sure you mix the solution properly to clean battery terminals with baking soda effectively.

Once you have mixed the solution properly, it is time to take a brush and start scrubbing along the corroded areas. You can even coat the corroded areas with the baking soda solution to ensure effective auto battery repair. Once you see some bubbling, consider it a sign that the solution is working. This is basically the process of neutralising the corrosion along both ends of the battery cable.

Also Read: How To Jump Start A Car: Easy Steps

Step 3: Rinsing the Residue with Water and Drying It

After you have neutralised the corrosion, it is time to scrub it off. You can use an old toothbrush or any other brush with proper bristles for this purpose.

This is one of the most important steps to follow to remove corrosion from battery cables effectively. You will also need to be extra careful here since the corrosive elements can cause severe damage to the car components.

Most experts from the battery repair shop recommend pulling the entire battery out to be on the safe side. In case you are using store supplies, it is important to ensure the cleaning agent does not come into contact with the paint on the car’s surface.

This is very important since these cleaning agents can leave a permanent stain on the car’s surface. After you are done scrubbing the corrosion, it is time to rinse off the residue from both ends of the cables and the car battery. Then, make sure to dry the cleaned areas with a compressor and get things done efficiently.

Step 4: Applying Petroleum Jelly

Once you are done cleaning and drying the battery terminals, it is time to move on to the next step of how to clean battery terminals. Here, you will need to apply petroleum jelly over the battery terminals and get better outcomes with your efforts.

This is a very important step for car battery service Perth as it boosts electrical conduciveness between the cable and the terminals. Apart from that, this little effort also goes a very long way in terms of protecting the terminals from any future corrosion.

Step 5: Reconnecting the Battery Terminals

Now that you have followed all the necessary steps to clean car battery corrosion with Coke, it is time for the final step. After you are done cleaning the corrosion from the terminals, it is time to let it dry properly.

After that, you will need to apply petroleum jelly to protect the terminals from future corrosion. Then, you can finally reconnect the car batteries and get things in order in almost no time. But make sure to perform this final step in reverse for even better outcomes.

This means you first need to connect the positive terminal and then proceed with connecting the negative one. You can also consider applying some more battery terminal cleaners or corrosion-preventive substances to get better outcomes.

Will It Be Safe to Touch a Car Battery Corrosion?

Now that you are aware of the steps about how to clean battery terminals, you must be wondering if it is safe to touch battery corrosion. The simple answer here is no; touching car battery corrosion is never a good idea.

Even the slightest trace amounts of this corrosion can result in a wide range of skin irritation issues. This is why it is so important to always wear protective gloves while cleaning the battery, just like the experts at auto shop Perth.

Some experts offering auto care services also recommend wearing protective gear for your eyes for better protection. It is recommended that you do this process in a well-ventilated area to minimise the chances of anything going wrong.

If you happen to touch the corrosion by accident, it is important to clean it with water for at least thirty minutes. You can even consider using baking soda from a car battery repair shop Perth to neutralise the substance for good.

Also Read: Top Car Battery Brands in Australia 2025

Conclusion

The process of how to clean battery terminals in your car is quite easy as long as you follow the right steps. All you need to do is follow the aforementioned five steps and get the job done in almost no time.

In addition, you can always leverage the expertise of experts offering auto repairs Perth to get better results. These experts have the right expertise and tools to clean your car battery terminals properly and even check for other issues if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is it important to clean car battery terminals?

Answer:
Yes, it is very important to clean your car battery terminals every once in a while to enhance the battery’s overall longevity.

2. Is it safe to clean car battery terminals by ourselves?

Answer:
Yes, you should always clean car battery terminals by yourself as long as you follow the right steps. Besides that, you also need to wear protective gear like gloves and eye masks to ensure you don’t touch the corrosion.

3. Can I get my car battery terminals cleaned by an expert mechanic?

Answer:
Yes, cleaning your car battery terminals with an auto repair Perth is always a good idea that works to your advantage. Do these experts have the right tools and expertise to get you the best results?

4. Is it harmful to touch battery corrosion?

Answer:
Yes, touching battery corrosion can be very harmful, as it can easily result in issues like irritation in your skin. Always make sure to wear gloves and eye protection gear to get the best results from your efforts.

5. How frequently should I clean car battery terminals?

Answer:
You must clean car battery terminals at least once or twice every year to enhance the battery’s longevity and save on maintenance in the long run.