So much happens to a car in its lifetime. There will be instances where the best component will become worn or dirty because of years of driving. There could be instances where the oil got dirty and was only cleaned or purged weeks later. The battery of your car can be cleaned at a workshop or in your own home.
Before starting the job, the obvious needs to be stated – make sure that the car is turned off unless you are a fan of getting burned with extremely hot electricity. You could also short the circuits which could damage the electronics of your car.
- You will need to determine the configuration of the terminals as there are different types. Determining the configuration will help you to pick the correct wrench to loosen the nuts that keep the cables in place.
- Now, you need to unfasten the cables (negative and positive respectively) from their posts. Twisting might be necessary to release the cable as they might have been put on quite tightly.
- Before continuing with the process, checking for leaks and cracks is a must. Car batteries lose acid and could corrode the rest of the components of the engine. If you do see any cracks or leaks, the battery must be replaced.
- Cables and clamps could also have cracks along the wiring. They could easily be replaced with new parts.
- This is the part where a basic household item is required to clean the battery: baking soda. The ratio to mix baking soda and hot water in a small container is 1:17. This is usually a tablespoon of baking soda and a cup of hot water.
- Then it is time for the scrubbing and cleaning. A toothbrush would be ideal for this process so that your hands don’t come into contact with the battery.
- Dip the toothbrush into the baking soda and hot water mixture, and scrub away at the corrosion build up. Usually the clamps and cable posts contain the most build up and will need the maximum amount of cleaning.
- Once all the corrosion is off, it is an absolute necessity to rinse away any baking soda and loose corrosion with cool water.
- The battery has to be completely dry before replacing the cables and clamps to avoid short circuiting the system.
Make sure that the entire car is working perfectly before taking long trips. This would include the electrical components such as the battery and the mechanical components such as the wheels, tyres and engine parts.
