You wash, wax, and vacuum your car to keep it looking sharp. But have you ever considered cleaning things under the hood? By cleaning your battery terminals, you can actually help the car battery perform stronger, longer! We’ll show you how to clean the terminals and help prevent car battery corrosion in only FIVE steps – with materials you probably already have at home!
Materials
- Protective gloves, like dish gloves
- Baking soda
- Water
- Old toothbrush
- Rag
- Petroleum jelly
Step 1: Mix up your homemade battery cleaner.
The recipe is simple. Mix one tablespoon of baking soda into one cup of water, and stir it together until it's thoroughly mixed.
Step 2: Undo the cables from the battery and inspect it.
Make sure your engine is off. Pop open your hood and remove the negative battery cable first. Then the positive cable attached to your battery. Some batteries may be in the trunk or under a seat. (Turn to your owner's manual for more information.) Then, assess your battery. Buildup, battery corrosion, and grime on the terminals can greatly impact your engine and battery performance. If you notice that the battery case is leaking, swollen, or bloated, skip the cleaning and head straight to your nearest Firestone Complete Auto Care for a new battery. Yours is on its way out!
Step 3: Dip a toothbrush in your cleaner and start scrubbing!
Grab an old toothbrush, dip it in your baking soda cleaner, and start scrubbing the terminals. This will take a little bit of elbow grease and you’ll need to continuously clean off the toothbrush as you work. Clean the terminals thoroughly, until all of the buildup has been removed. Do not put the toothbrush back in the bathroom!
Step 4: Rinse off the residue with water and dry.
After you’ve removed all of the corrosion and dirt from the terminals, give the battery a quick rinse. Fill up a spray bottle with a bit of water and spray down the terminals. If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can also wipe everything down with a damp rag. Then, use another rag to dry the terminals completely.
Step 5: Rub petroleum jelly onto the terminals and reattach the cables.
Once the terminals are dry, dab a bit of petroleum jelly onto them. This will lubricate them, help prevent further corrosion, and help strengthen the connection. Reattach the positive and negative cables, and you’re all set! Be careful, too much petroleum jelly can cause a poor connection.
Keeping your car battery clean can help get things moving when your car won't start and battery flow is weak. Staying on top of your battery’s charge is crucial to avoid getting stranded. Stop by your nearest Firestone Complete Auto Care for a battery test at your convenience! Our technicians will let you know just how much “life” is left in your battery, so you can hit the road with peace of mind – and a new battery, if necessary!
“If I only knew sooner.” Yep, we’ve all been there before. Fortunately, there are a few symptoms that may indicate your battery needs attention. Before it’s too late.
It's Time for a New Battery When You Notice
- Slow Engine Crank - When you attempt to start the vehicle, the cranking of the engine is sluggish and takes longer than normal to start.
- Check Engine Light - The check engine light sometimes appears when your battery power is weak.
- Low Battery Fluid Level - Car batteries typically have a part of the casing that’s translucent so you can always keep an eye on your battery’s fluid level. If the fluid level is below the lead plates : (energy conductor:) inside, it’s time to have the battery and charging system tested
- Swelling, Bloating Battery Case - If your battery casing looks like this you can blame excessive heat for causing your battery case to swell, decreasing your battery life.
- Battery Leak - Leaking also causes corrosion around the posts : (where the + and – cable connections are located.: ) The gunk may need to be removed; otherwise, your car may not start.
- Old Age - Your battery can last well beyond three years but, at the very least, have its current condition inspected on a yearly basis when it reaches the three-year mark.
Top Questions and Answers
How could a battery drain overnight?
Batteries can do a lot of things while we’re not looking. The most common way a battery will drain overnight is by leaving a light on or a power adapter plugged in, zapping all your battery power while you’re fast asleep.
Your battery can also drain overnight if there are faulty electrical components or wiring. If this might be the case, let us check it out so we can resolve the problem and get you rolling again.
- Schedule a Battery Inspection. Enter your Zip Code for nearest Firestone Complete Auto Care.
- Find the right battery for your specific vehicle, at the right price — right now. Get a free online Battery Price Quote.
- Take advantage of our current deals and specials on battery replacements.
What factors will affect the life of my car battery?
So, you want to know if your battery will last three years or, better yet, five years, eh? Well, that all depends on your driving habits, plus the year-round climate in your area.
- Short Trips. Shorter battery life. If you take many short trips (less than 20 minutes), your battery won’t have enough time to fully recharge, shortening its overall life expectancy.
- Extreme temperatures kill batteries. The dog days of summer take the biggest toll on your battery. Scorching temperatures—and even freezing temperatures—can shorten battery life. A lot of times, waiting until the deep freeze of winter to replace your battery is often too late. The cold weather could pretty much make that heat-worn battery dead on arrival.
- Find your region. Discover the average battery life.
Quick Steps:
- Use our Virtual Battery Tester and discover how long a car battery will typically last in your specific make and model vehicle.
- Price out your next battery. Discover the exact price and the battery designed for your vehicle.
What are the warning signs that my battery is failing?
“If I only knew sooner." We’ve all been there before. Fortunately, there are various indications and symptoms that your battery may need replacement:
- Slow engine crank: When you attempt to start the vehicle, the cranking of the engine is sluggish and takes longer than normal to start. You’d best describe it as the “rur rur rur” starting noise sound.
- Check engine light: The check engine light sometimes appears when your battery power is weak. Strange system indicator lights – such as check engine and low coolant lights – could mean there’s a problem with your battery. (It could also just mean you need more coolant).
- Low battery fluid level: Car batteries typically have a part of the casing that’s translucent so you can always keep an eye on your battery’s fluid level. You can also inspect it by removing the red and black caps if they are not sealed (most modern car batteries now permanently seal these parts).
- Bottom line: If the fluid level is below the lead plates (energy conductor) inside, it’s time to have the battery and charging system tested. When fluid levels drop, it’s typically caused by overcharging (heat).
- The swelling, bloating battery case: If your battery casing looks like it ate a very large meal, this could indicate a battery gone bad. You can blame excessive heat for causing your battery case to swell, decreasing your battery life.
- Eww, there’s a stinky, rotten egg smell: You may notice a pungent, rotten egg smell (sulfur odor:) around the battery. The cause: Battery leaks. Leaking also causes the corrosion around the posts (where the (+) and (–) cable connections are located.) The gunk may need to be removed; otherwise, your car may not start.
- Three years + battery age is considered an old timer: Your battery can last well beyond three years but, at the very least, have its current condition inspected on a yearly basis when it reaches the three year mark. Battery life cycles range from three-to-five years depending on the battery. However, driving habits, weather and frequent short trips (under 20 minutes) can drastically shorten the actual life of your car battery.
Help your battery life with the little things.
Imagine waking up to a dead car battery. It isn’t fun. At all. But because batteries can do stuff when we’re not looking, we need to help them go the distance. That means turning off all interior and exterior lights when exiting your ride. It’s important to unplug power adapters, too. Naturally, we’re also here to keep watch. Our Early Detection Analyzer determines how much life is left in your battery. If something is awry, Firestone Complete Auto Care technicians are pros at delivering a fix.
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