How to Clean Car Battery Terminals

If your car refuses to start, you may have a costly problem such as a failed starter or alternator. On the other hand, it could be something as simple as the battery failing to initialize properly. If you know how to clean your car's battery terminals, you can quickly check to see if built-up gunk around the terminals is affecting your car's performance.

Instructions

1

Open and secure the hood of your car. Disconnect the battery terminals from the battery. Wear protective gloves to avoid contact with corrosive battery acid. Take a wire-bristled brush and scrub off any visible corrosion around the battery terminals, both inside the ring terminal and out. You may need to scrape the inside of the ring terminal with a screwdriver if the wire bristle does not do the trick.

2

Blow off any excess dust that the wire brush or screwdriver loosens. If you scrape the terminals properly, you should be able to see clean, shiny metal (lead) instead of gunk or corrosive material.

3

Examine the wires leading into the battery terminals. If there is corrosion under the sheathing of the copper wire strands in the form of a greenish or whitish powder, you may need to clean this area also. Slice the wire housing open about inch from the top with a razor blade. If you see corrosion, keep cutting until you see clean copper. Remove any corroded wire, making sure to leave enough wire to reach the terminal. Seal up the wire with electrical tape. If this is impossible, you should purchase a new cable.

4

Pour a can of cola or a solution of baking soda and water over your battery terminals as an alternative way to clean them. The acid in the cola or the reaction between baking soda and water eats off corroded material around the terminals and allows a better connection between the battery and its terminals.