As all of us at Freeman Grapevine know, a lot of dirt and grime can accumulate anywhere on your car. The easy fix is to wash your car, but you may not be cleaning everything that you need to. If you pop your hood, you will probably notice a white or green residue on your battery. While this is very common and it can quite literally suck the life out of your battery. Corrosion makes the connection weaker from your battery to your engine. While it may look like a hard thing to fix, it is surprisingly easy, and you probably have everything you need to do the job in your house already.
The first thing you want to do is keep mind of your safety. You will be dealing with corrosive chemicals, so be sure to wear rubber gloves and some sort of protective eye wear. After you have donned your protective gear, you need a small scraper or hard bristled brush to start taking off the main corrosion. After this is finished, mix one tablespoon of baking soda per pint of water and, using a funnel or turkey baster, apply this mixture to your connections. The corrosion will start to bubble, and while this is happening, use your brush or scraper to clean the rest of the area. When you are done, use some clean water to rinse off the battery. You can use a cleaner such as 409 to clean off any dirt or grease, and then dry your battery with a towel or rag.
Honestly, I heard that Coca-Cola will also dissolve the acid….makes you wonder what you are ingesting though.
Keeping your battery clean will not only add life to your battery, but it will help prevent problems from occurring in your car. Just give your battery an inspection every month or two, and you’ll be able to keep corrosion at bay. If you are looking for a new car, with brand new clean batteries, then be sure to come into Freeman Grapevine.